Refill

ABSTRACT

A staple-refill  11  is provided with: a casing  12  in which a plurality of sheet-type connected staples  10  are stacked; a staple inserting port  14 ; a staple discharge port  16 ; a cover member  15  which covers the sheet-type connected staples  10  in the casing  12  from a side of the staple inserting port  14 ; and a notch portion  18  formed in the casing  12  and extending from an edge of the staple inserting port  14  in an insertion direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a staple-refill, in which a pluralityof sheet-type connected staples are stacked and accommodated, capable ofsupplying the staples to a stapling machine.

RELATED ART

Electric stapling machines are disclosed, for example, inJP-A-2004-358977, JP-B2-4042159, JP-A-11-235679 and JP-A-07-148674.Among electric stapling machines, there are known a type of staplingmachines which are built in a paper processing device provided adjacentto an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine or a printingmachine. The electric stapling machine includes a motor as a drivingsource, and sequentially strikes the staples. For example, astaple-refill, in which a plurality of sheet-type connected staples arestacked and accommodated, is mounted in a cartridge detachably providedin a stapling-machine main-body. With the electric stapling machine, ifa cartridge incorporated with the staple-refill is mounted in a magazineof a stapling-machine main-body, a lowermost sheet-type connected stapleis sequentially fed to a striking section during a stapling operation.The sent-out sheet-type connected staples are sequentially bent intosubstantially U-shapes from a leading end staple among staples, and thenare struck by a driver plate towards sheets of paper to be bound on aclincher.

According to the staple-refill in which the plurality of sheet-typeconnected staples are stacked and accommodated, the casing is providedwith a cover member for closing a receiving portion so as to prevent thesheet-type connected staples from being escaped from the accommodatingportion. The cover member is movable to the casing in a stakingdirection in which the sheet-type connected staples are stacked byengaging a guide boss of the cover member with a guide groove. When thecover member is mounted to the stapling-machine main-body, the covermember is pressed by a push lever.

When the staple-refill is manufactured, the sheet-type connected staplesare accommodated in the accommodating portion, and then the cover memberis attached to the staple-refill. If strength of a lateral plate or thelike of the casing, to which the cover member is attached, isexcessively high, the lateral plate of the staple-refill is hard to bebent, so that it is difficult to attach the cover member to the casingby engaging the guide boss to the guide groove. Also, if the lateralplate is formed to have a thin thickness to be easily bent, its moldingability is deteriorated. Moreover, the casing is likely to be broken.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One or more embodiments of the invention provide a staple-refill, inwhich a cover member can be easily attached to a casing to improve aproduction efficiency.

According to an embodiment, a staple-refill 11 may include: a casing 12in which a plurality of sheet-type connected staples 10 are stacked andaccommodated; a staple inserting port 14 which is formed in the casing12 and through which the sheet-type connected staples 10 are inserted inthe casing 12 in an insertion direction; a staple discharge port 16which is formed in the casing 12 and from which the sheet-type connectedstaples 10 in the casing 12 are discharged; a cover member 15 whichcovers the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the casing 12 from a sideof the staple inserting port 14; a guide boss 22 formed in the covermember 15; a guide portion 21 which is formed in the casing 12 andextending in the insertion direction, the guide boss 22 being engagedwith the guide portion 21 to guide the cover member 15 in the insertiondirection; and a notch portion 18 formed in the casing 12 and extendingfrom an edge of the staple inserting port 14 in the insertion direction.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, the drawings and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an image formingapparatus and a paper processing device.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of major parts of the paper processingdevice.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a saddlestitch unit is drawn from the paper processing device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a staple unit.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cartridge mounted with astaple-refill, when seen from its front side.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cartridge mounted with thestaple-refill, when seen from its rear side.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cartridge mounted with thestaple-refill, when seen from its bottom side.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a state before the staple-refill loadedwith the maximum amount of sheet-type connected staples is mounted inthe cartridge, when seen from its rear side.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a state after the staple-refill with thesheet-type connected staples completely consumed is detached from thecartridge, when seen from its rear side.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the staple-refill, when seen from itsfront upper side.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the staple-refill, when seen from itsrear upper side.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the staple-refill, when seen from itsfront lower side.

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the staple-refill.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a state after the empty staple-refillwith the sheet-type connected staples completely consumed is detachedfrom the cartridge, when seen from its front upper side.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a state after the empty staple-refillwith the sheet-type connected staples completely consumed is detachedfrom the cartridge, when seen from its front lower side.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a modification including one firstpositioning projection for the staple-refill, when seen from its rearside.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of another modification including onefirst positioning projection for the staple-refill, when seen from itsrear side.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a state when a staple-refill accordingto a modification is mounted in a cartridge, in which a handle portionprovided on a rear surface of a casing is formed in a circularthrough-hole, when seen from its rear side.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the staple-refill according to amodification, in which the handle portion is formed in the circularthrough-hole, when seen from its rear side.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the emptystaple-refill with no sheet-type connected stapes is mounted in thecartridge, when seen from its rear side.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a staple-refill according to amodification, in which a concave portion is formed in a top surface ofthe cover member, when seen from its rear side.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a staple-refill according to amodification, in which a handle portion is formed in a U-shaped notchportion, when seen from its rear side.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a state in which the emptystaple-refill with no sheet-type connected stapes is mounted in thecartridge, when seen from its rear side.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a staple-refill in which a guide bossformed on a rear surface of the cover member is engaged to a horizontalguide groove formed in a notch portion of the rear surface of thecasing, when seen from its front upper side.

FIG. 25 is an enlarged perspective view of the portion A in FIG. 24.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a state before the staple-refillprovided with a concave portion serving as the handle portion at thetime of drawing out a cartridge body is mounted in the cartridge, whenseen from its rear side.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view illustrating a relationship between adetaching manipulation concave portion of the cartridge and the concaveportion of the casing, in the state in which the staple-refill in FIG.26 is mounted in the cartridge.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the staple-refill in FIG. 26, when seenfrom its rear side.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the cartridge, when seen from its rearside.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a push lever before the staple-refillis mounted in the cartridge.

FIG. 31 is an exploded perspective view of the cartridge.

FIGS. 32(A) and 32(B) are diagrams illustrating a locking mechanism ofthe staple-refill, in which FIG. 32(A) is a plan view of the cartridge,and FIG. 32(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A inFIG. 32(A).

FIG. 33 is a side view illustrating a positional relationship between anengaging portion of the cartridge and the guide boss of the covermember, when the staple-refill is inserted in the cartridge.

FIG. 34 is a side view illustrating a positional relationship between anengaging portion of the cartridge and the guide boss of the covermember, when the staple-refill has been inserted in the cartridge.

FIG. 35 is a side view illustrating a positional relationship between anengaging portion of the cartridge and the guide boss of the covermember, when the sheet-type connected staple of the staple-refill iscompletely consumed.

FIG. 36 is a plan view of the cartridge received with the staple-refill.

FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 36.

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 36.

FIG. 39(A) is a bottom view illustrating a positioning mechanism of thestaple-refill in the cartridge, before a positioning convex portion of apositioning plate is engaged with a positioning concave portion of thestaple-refill, and FIG. 39(B) is an enlarged view.

FIG. 40(A) is a bottom view illustrating the positioning mechanism ofthe staple-refill in the cartridge, in a state in which the positioningconvex portion of the positioning plate is engaged with the positioningconcave portion of the staple-refill, and FIG. 40(B) is an enlargedview.

FIG. 41 is a horizontal cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view takenalong the line C-C in FIG. 38) illustrating a transfer mechanism of thecartridge mounted with the staple-refill.

FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of the pushlever, when the sheet-type connected staple of the staple-refill iscompletely consumed.

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of major parts to illustrate amodification in which a pushed portion formed on a rear surface of thecasing is configured to have the same height.

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of major parts to illustrate a state inwhich the staple-refill in FIG. 43 is mounted in a magazine.

FIG. 45 is a perspective view of major parts to illustrate amodification in which a pushed portion formed on the rear surface of thecasing is configured as a concave portion.

FIG. 46 is a perspective view of major parts to illustrate a state inwhich the staple-refill in FIG. 45 is mounted in the magazine.

FIG. 47(A) is a bottom view of major parts to illustrate a modificationin which the staple-refill is pushed down by the push member provided inthe cartridge, and FIG. 47(B) is an enlarged view of its major ports.

FIG. 48(A) is a perspective view illustrating a staple-refill with nofront wall according to a modification, when seen from its rear side,and FIG. 48(B) is a perspective view illustrating a staple-refill withno front wall according to a modification, when seen from its frontside.

FIG. 49(A) is a perspective view illustrating the staple-refillincluding a second positioning projection functioning as the pushedportion, when seen from its rear side, and FIG. 49(B) is across-sectional view of major parts to illustrate a state in which amounting lever of the magazine is engaged with the second positioningprojection functioning as the pushed portion to push down thestaple-refill in two directions of front and bottom surfaces of therefill receiving portion.

FIG. 50(A) is a side view of major parts to illustrate a modification inwhich an upper cross section of the second positioning projectionfunctioning as the pushed portion is bent inward, FIG. 50(B) is across-sectional view of major parts to illustrate a modification of thesecond positioning projection which protrudes in an arc-shape, and FIG.50(C) is a side view of major parts to illustrate a modification of thesecond positioning projection which is configured by a stepped portion.

FIG. 51(A) is a perspective view illustrating the staple-refill in whichthe second positioning projection functioning as the pushed portion isconfigured by a concave portion, when seen from its rear side, and FIG.51(B) is a cross-sectional view of major parts to illustrate a state inwhich the mounting lever of the magazine is engaged with the positioningconcave portion.

FIG. 52 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of thestaple-refill which is notched from the front side to a lateral side ofthe casing, when seen from its front side, in a state in which themaximum amount of sheet-type connected staples are loaded.

FIG. 53 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of thestaple-refill which is notched from the front side to a lateral side ofthe casing, when seen from its front side, in a state in which thesheet-type connected staples are empty.

FIGS. 54(A) and 54(B) are diagrams illustrating the staple-refillincluding an H-shaped cover member, in which FIG. 54(A) is a perspectiveview when seen from its front side, and FIG. 54(B) is a plan view.

FIGS. 55(A) and 55(B) are diagrams illustrating the staple-refillincluding the casing provided in the lateral surface with a guide holewhich is formed as a groove having a bottom, in which FIG. 55(A) is aperspective view when seen from its front side, and FIG. 55(B) is aperspective view illustrating a state in which the cover member isexcluded, when seen from its rear view.

FIGS. 56(A) and 56(B) are diagrams illustrating the staple-refill inwhich a notch portion is not formed in the front surface of the casing,but a notch portion is formed in an opposite lateral surface, in whichFIG. 56(A) is a perspective view when seen from its front side, and FIG.56(B) is a side view.

FIG. 57 is an enlarged perspective view of major parts to illustrate thestaple-refill including the cover member provided with a check claw, inwhich an inner surface of the staple-refill is provided with a checkgroove to be locked with the check claw.

FIGS. 58(A) and 58(B) are diagrams illustrating the staple-refillincluding the casing provided in the lateral surface with the guidehole, and the notch portion formed in the rear surface, in which FIG.58(A) is a perspective view when seen from its front side, and FIG.58(B) is a perspective view when seen from its rear view.

FIGS. 59(A) to 59(E) are a front or rear view illustrating amodification of the notch portion which is formed in the front or rearsurface of the casing.

FIG. 60 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill is mounted in a mounting object, such as a package, by useof a guide boss protruding from the lateral end face opposite to thecover member as the positioning projection, and a projection protrudingin a triangular shape from the rear surface of the casing as thepositioning projection.

FIGS. 61(A) and 61(B) are diagrams illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill is mounted in the mounting object, such as the package, inthe example of FIG. 60, in which FIG. 61(A) is a side view, and FIG.61(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the like A-A in FIG. 61(A).

FIG. 62 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill is mounted in the mounting object, such as the package, byuse of the guide boss protruding from the opposite lateral end face andthe rear end face opposite of the cover member as the positioningprojection.

FIGS. 63(A) and 63(B) are diagrams illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill is mounted in the mounting object, such as the package, inthe example of FIG. 62, in which FIG. 63(A) is a side view, and FIG.63(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the like A-A in FIG. 63(A).

FIG. 64 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill is positioned and received in the mounting object by useof the projection formed on the front surface of the staple-refill andthe projection formed on the rear surface.

FIG. 65 is a perspective lateral view of FIG. 64.

FIG. 66 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill is received in the mounting object in the modification ofFIG. 64.

FIG. 67 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill has been received in the mounting object in the example ofFIG. 64.

FIG. 68 is a perspective lateral view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill has been received in the mounting object in the example ofFIG. 64.

FIG. 69 is a perspective view illustrating an example in which a taperportion is formed on the push portion and the notch portion of the pushlever, when seen from its front side, except for the cartridge body.

FIG. 70 is a front view illustrating an example in which a taper portionis formed on the push portion and the notch portion of the push lever,except for the cartridge body.

FIG. 71 is a perspective view illustrating an example in which a taperportion is formed on the push portion of the push lever, when seen fromits front side, except for the staple-refill.

FIG. 72 is a perspective view of the staple-refill with no cover member.

FIG. 73 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill with no cover member is mounted in the cartridge, with themaximum amount of sheet-type connected staples being loaded.

FIG. 74 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill with no cover member is mounted in the cartridge, with thesheet-type connected staples being completely consumed.

FIG. 75 is a perspective view of the staple-refill in which the frontwall below the notch portion is formed at a position lower than that inthe example of FIG. 72.

FIG. 76 is a perspective view of the staple-refill in which a dottedportion on the front surface of the casing is punched by the pushportion of the push lever.

FIG. 77 is a perspective view of the staple-refill in which a thin hingeportion is formed on the front surface of the casing, and the frontsurface is bent by the push portion of the push lever.

FIG. 78(A) is a cross-sectional view of the staple-refill, and FIG.78(B) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of major parts in vicinity ofthe hinge portion.

FIG. 79 is a perspective view of major parts to illustrate arelationship between the push lever and the guide wall of the covermember of the staple-refill which is loaded with the maximum amount ofsheet-type connected staples.

FIG. 80 is a perspective view of major parts to illustrate arelationship between the push lever and the guide wall of the covermember of the empty staple-refill in which the sheet-type connectedstaples are completely consumed.

FIG. 81 is a perspective view of the staple-refill in which a leverguide hole is formed in the center of the front and top surfaces of thecasing in a width direction thereof.

FIG. 82 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill loaded with the maximum amount of sheet-type connectedstaples illustrated in FIG. 81 is mounted in the cartridge, except forthe cartridge body.

FIG. 83 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the emptystaple-refill with the sheet-type connected staples completely consumedillustrated in FIG. 81 is mounted in the cartridge, except for thecartridge body.

FIG. 84 is a perspective view of the staple-refill including the covermember provided with a guide rail.

FIG. 85 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill loaded with the maximum amount of sheet-type connectedstaples illustrated in FIG. 84 is mounted in the cartridge, except forthe cartridge.

FIG. 86 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the emptystaple-refill with the sheet-type connected staples completely consumedillustrated in FIG. 84 is mounted in the cartridge, except for thecartridge body.

FIG. 87 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill loaded with the maximum amount of sheet-type connectedstaples is mounted in the cartridge provided with a guide piece at theleading end portion of the push lever, except for the cartridge body.

FIG. 88 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the emptystaple-refill with the sheet-type connected staples are completelyconsumed is mounted in the cartridge provided with a guide piece at theleading end portion of the push lever, except for the cartridge body.

FIGS. 89(A) and 89(B) are diagrams illustrating a state in which thepush portion of the push lever is engaged with the concave portion ofthe cover member, in which FIG. 89(A) is a cross-sectional view, andFIG. 89(B) is an enlarged view thereof.

FIGS. 90(A) and 90(B) are diagrams illustrating a state in which thepush portion of the push lever is engaged with a stepped portion of thecover member, in which FIG. 90(A) is a cross-sectional view, and FIG.90(B) is an enlarged view thereof.

FIGS. 91(A) and 91(B) are diagrams illustrating a state in which thepush portion of the push lever is engaged with the projection of thecover member, in which FIG. 91(A) is a cross-sectional view, and FIG.91(B) is an enlarged view thereof.

FIG. 92 is a perspective view illustrating a first modification of thelocking mechanism of the staple-refill.

FIG. 93 is a lateral view illustrating the first modification of thelocking mechanism when the staple-refill is inserted into the cartridge.

FIG. 94 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the first modification ofthe locking mechanism when the staple-refill is inserted into thecartridge (cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 93).

FIG. 95 is a lateral view illustrating the first modification of thelocking mechanism when the staple-refill has been inserted into thecartridge.

FIG. 96 is a lateral view illustrating the second modification of thelocking mechanism of the staple-refill.

FIGS. 97(A) and 97(B) are cross-sectional views illustrating the secondmodification of the locking mechanism when the staple-refill is insertedinto the cartridge, in which FIG. 97(A) is a lateral view, and FIG.97(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 97(A).

FIGS. 98(A) and 98(B) are cross-sectional views illustrating the secondmodification of the locking mechanism when the staple-refill has beeninserted into the cartridge, in which FIG. 97(A) is a lateral view, andFIG. 98(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG.98(A).

FIG. 99 is a lateral view illustrating a second modification of thelocking mechanism in which the sheet-type connected staples in thestaple-refill are completely consumed.

FIG. 100 is a perspective view illustrating the cartridge including apositioning boss of a height direction, except for the cartridge.

FIG. 101 is a front view of the staple-refill.

FIG. 102 is a perspective view of major parts to illustrate a state inwhich the positioning boss of the height direction is engaged with thestaple-refill.

FIG. 103 is a lateral view of major parts to illustrate a state in whichthe positioning boss of the height direction is engaged with thestaple-refill.

FIG. 104 is a perspective view illustrating the staple-refill receivedwith the connected staples wound in a roll type, when seen from itsfront side.

FIG. 105 is a perspective view of the staple-refill in FIG. 104, whenseen from its rear side.

FIG. 106 is a cross-sectional view of the staple-refill in FIG. 104.

FIG. 107 is a bottom view of the staple-refill in FIG. 104.

FIG. 108 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which thestaple-refill in FIG. 104 is mounted in the cartridge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The description will be given hereinbelow on the basis of embodimentsand modifications with reference to the drawings. Further, theembodiments and the modifications are not intended to limit theinvention but to merely serve as examples thereof, and all features orcombinations thereof described in the embodiments or the modificationsare not always essential to the invention.

The description will be performed by the following order.

1. Summary of image forming apparatus and paper processing device (FIGS.1 to 4)

2. Summary of electric stapling machine (FIGS. 5 to 10)

3. Description of fundamental configuration of staple-refill (FIGS. 10to 15)

3-1. Description of casing

3-2. Description of cover member

4. Description of fundamental configuration of cartridge (FIGS. 5 to 9,FIGS. 29 to 38, and so forth)

4-1. Description of push lever

4-2. Description of locking mechanism (engaging portion)

4-3. Description of staple guide section

4-4. Description of transfer mechanism

4-5. Description of positioning mechanism

5. Description of fundamental configuration of magazine (FIGS. 36 to 38,FIG. 41, and so forth)

6. Description of fundamental operation until staple-refill is mountedin cartridge

7. Description of modification of staple-refill (FIGS. 54 to 63)

7-1. Description of modification of notch portion of casing

7-2. Description of positioning when staple-refill is mounted inmounting object such as package

8. Description of mounting object (FIGS. 64 to 68)

9. Description of modification of push lever (FIGS. 69 to 78)

9-1. First description of modification of push lever and notch portion

9-2. Second description of modification of push lever and notch portion

10. Description of modification of guide of push lever (FIGS. 79 and 91)

11. Description of modification of locking mechanism of staple-refill(FIGS. 92 to 99)

11-1. Description of first modification of locking mechanism

11-2. Description of second modification of locking mechanism

12. Description of positioning of staple-refill in height direction(FIGS. 100 to 103)

13. Other modifications

13-1. Description of first modification

13-2. Description of second modification (FIGS. 104 to 108)

<1. Summary of Image Forming Apparatus and Paper Processing Device(FIGS. 1 to 4)>

As illustrated in FIG. 1, an electric stapling machine 1 using astaple-refill according to an embodiment, in which a plurality ofsheet-type connected staples are stacked and accommodated, is used, forexample, as an electric stapling machine for saddle stitch. According toan embodiment, the electric stapling machine 1 is incorporated in apaper processing device 3 provided adjacent to an image formingapparatus 2, such as a copying machine or a printing machine.Specifically, the paper processing device 3 is provided with a saddlestitch unit 1 a for saddle-stitching sheets of paper 4 to be bound. Thesaddle stitch unit 1 a includes, as illustrated in FIG. 2, guide rollers5 and 5 for guiding the sheets of paper 4, a knife edge 6 for folding apaper center, and a pair of folding rollers 7 and 7 for the centerfolding, in addition to the electric stapling machine 1. When the sheetsof paper 4 printed by the image forming apparatus 2 is saddle-stitched,for example, the sheets of paper 4 are guided by the pair of guiderollers 5 and 5 from the image forming apparatus 2, and is fed from adirection of the arrow A in FIG. 2, so that a predetermined number ofsheets of paper are stored. The predetermined number of sheets of paper4 to be bound are saddle-stitched by the electric stapling machine 1.After that, the sheets of paper 4 which are saddle-stitched aretransferred to a position suitable for a knife edge 6, and then theknife edge 6 is moved in a direction of the arrow B in FIG. 2 which isvertical to the sheets of paper 4, and enters between the pair offolding rollers 7 and 7, so that the sheets of paper 4 which are foldedat its center are discharged through a discharge tray 8.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, when no staple is in the staple-refill andthus the sheet-type connected staples are additionally provided, asaddle stitch unit 1 a is pulled out from the paper processing device 3.As illustrated in FIG. 4, the staple unit 1 b is provided with twoelectric stapling machines 1 and 1 to bind the sheets of paper 4 atplural positions, for example, two positions. Each of the electricstapling machines 1 can be pulled out from a frame 9 a configuring anouter housing by holding a tap 9 with a hand and pivoting it outward. Inthe pulled state, the empty staple-refill in which the sheet-typeconnected staple is completely consumed can be replaced by astaple-refill charged with the sheet-type connected staples.Specifically, exchanging operation of the staple-refill is performed inthe electric stapling machine 1 by mounting the cartridge additionallyprovided with the sheet-type connected staples in a magazine 105 of thestapling-machine main-body. Meanwhile, FIG. 4 illustrates the state inwhich the right electric stapling machine 1 is pulling out outwardly.After that, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the electric stapling machine 1 isreturned into the frame 9 a, and the saddle stitch unit 1 a is returnedinto the paper processing device 3, thereby completing the exchangingoperation of the staple-refill. Also, when carrying out jam cleaning toremove and clean a staple clogged at the rear of a faceplate. In thisway, the paper processing device 3 can manipulate the electric staplingmachine 1 to carry out the exchanging operation of the staple-refill inthe state in which the saddle stitch unit 1 a is pulled out.

<2. Summary of Electric Stapling Machine (FIGS. 5 to 10)>

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 10, the electric stapling machine includesa staple-refill in which sheet-type connected staples 10 with aplurality of straight-shaped staples arranged in parallel with eachother and connected to each other in a sheet shape are stacked andaccommodated, and a cartridge 61 in which the staple-refill 1 is mountedin the magazine of the stapling-machine main-body of the electricstapling machine 1. The cartridge 61 is provided with a striking section65 for the sheet-type connected staple 10. In the striking section 65,the sheet-type connected staples sent from the staple-refill 11 isformed one by one by the forming plate driven by a driving mechanism atthe side of the stapling-machine main-body, and the formed staples arestruck one by one in a direction of the arrow X in FIG. 5 by a driverplate driven by the driving mechanism at the side of thestapling-machine main-body. The staple-refill 11 is detachable from thecartridge 61. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the staple-refill is mounted inthe cartridge 61 from a direction of the arrow Y in FIG. 8 in the statein which the staple-refill is loaded with the maximum amount of thesheet-type connected staples 10, while, as illustrated in FIG. 9, whenthe sheet-type connected staple 10 is completely consumed, thestaple-refill is pulled out from the cartridge 61 in a directionopposite to a direction of the arrow Y in FIG. 9, so that thestaple-refill is replaced by a new staple-refill 11 loaded with themaximum amount of the sheet-type connected staples 10.

<3. Description of Fundamental Configuration of Staple-Refill (FIGS. 10to 15)> <3-1. Description of Casing>

The casing 11 is formed from, for example, plastic by injection molding,and has a rectangular parallelepiped casing 12, as illustrated in FIGS.10 to 15. The casing 12 is provided a staple accommodating portion 13 inwhich the sheet-type connected staples 10 are stacked and accommodatedtherein. The casing 12 has a staple inserting opening 14 opened in thewhole top surface and extending to the staple accommodating portion 13.The staple accommodating portion 13 is provided with a cover member 15for closing the staple inserting opening 14 in the state in whichseveral sheets of sheet-type connected staples 10 are stacked andaccommodated.

The front surface of the casing 12 is provided with a staple dischargingport 16 of a slit shape formed along a bottom surface thereof, and thestaple discharging port 16 has a size set to be equal to, for example,one sheet to five sheets of the sheet-type connected staples 10. Thestaple discharging port 16 serves as a staple discharging portion fordischarging the sheet-type connected staple 10. A front surface 12 a ofcasing 12 is provided with a staple fall-out preventing piece 17immediately above the staple discharging port 16. The fall-outpreventing piece 17 protrudes more than the front surface 12 a, and ispositioned in a concave portion 17 a of the front surface 12 a whichextends to the staple discharging port 16. The fall-out preventing piece17 is pivotally displaced along a plane parallel to the front surface 12a via a thin hinge 17 b protruding more than the front surface 12 a,thereby opening and closing the staple discharging port 16.Specifically, the fall-out preventing piece 17 is provided with thehinge 17 b at a substantially center portion thereof, and has at one endthereof a boss portion 17 c for preventing the sheet-type connectedstaples 10 being falling. At the time of non-use of the staple-refill 11or the like, the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the stapleaccommodating portion 13 should not fall out from the staple dischargingport 16 by mistake. Therefore, at the time of non-use, the boss portion17 c is positioned at a position overlapped with the staple dischargingport 16, and when the staple-refill 11 is used, the fall-out preventingpiece 17 is pivotally displaced around the hinge 17 b to withdraw theboss portion 17 c from the staple discharging port 16. In this way, thesheet-type connected staples 10 can be discharged through the stapledischarging port 16. The projection 17 d formed on the front surface ofthe casing 12 including the fall-out preventing piece 17 functions as afirst positioning projection when the staple-refill 11 is mounted in amounting object such as a package. Meanwhile, FIGS. 10 to 15 illustratethe state in which the boss portion 17 c is overlapped with the stapledischarging portion 16, so that the sheet-type connected staples 10 donot fall out from the staple discharging port 16.

As illustrated in FIGS. 10, 12 and 13, the front surface 12 a of thecasing 12 is provided with a notch portion 18 of a concave shape whichis continuous with the staple inserting port 14, above the stapledischarging port 16 or the fall-out preventing piece 17. The notchportion 18 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and isnotched extending from an edge of the staple inserting port 14 to aninsertion direction of the sheet-type connected staples 10 to have adepth equal to or higher than, for example, a half of height dimensionof the front surface 12 a. (Further, the insertion direction correspondsto a height direction of the staple refill 10 and also corresponds to astacking direction in which the sheet-type connected staples 10 arestacked in the casing 12.) The notch portion 18 is formed such that apair of opposite lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing 12 arebent in a width enlarging direction to enlarge the staple inserting port14. In this way, since the casing 12 is provided with the notch portion18, the pair of lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c is flexibly displaced sothat the staple inserting port 14 is enlarged. As a result, it ispossible to easily insert the sheet-type connected staples 10 or attachthe cover member 15. Also, in order to bend the lateral surfaces 12 band 12 c, it is not necessary that the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 care made thin in thickness. Therefore, it is possible to preventformability of the component being deteriorated. Also, when thestaple-refill is detached from the cartridge 61, the notch portion 18becomes a region through which the push lever 66 of the cartridge 61passes, and functions as a guide portion when the push lever 66 passes.

The rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 is provided with a pair of secondpositioning projections 19 and 19, as illustrated in FIG. 11. The pairof second positioning projections 19 and 19 protrudes in a triangularshape at positions at a regular interval from a center line of the rearsurface 12 d in a width direction of the casing 12. (Further, the widthdirection of the staple-refill is perpendicular to the insertiondirection.) When the staple-refill 11 is mounted in the mounting object,such as a magazine of the stapling-machine main-body, the staple-refill11 is mounted in the state in which the staple-refill is positioned byone position of the projection 17 d on the front surface of the casing12 including the fall-out preventing piece 17 which is the firstpositioning projection as described above, and two positions of thesecond positioning projections 19 and 19 on the rear surface. When thecasing 12 is mounted in the magazine 101 of the stapling-machinemain-body, there is a case where the projection 17 d is not used forpositioning of the casing 12. Also, the second positioning projections19 and 19 have an end face 19 c which is inclined downward to face thedirection of the bottom surface 12 e and the front surface 12 a of thecasing 12 at the side of the top surface thereof. When the inclinedportion is pressed, the casing 12 is pressed toward the bottom surfaceand the front surface of the mounting object such as the package. Thenumber of the second positioning projections 19 and 19 is notspecifically limited, and three or more second positioning projectionsmay be provided. Also, when the projections 17 d are provided in pluralon the front surface 12 a, one second positioning projection 19 may beprovided on the rear surface 12 d.

For example, in FIG. 16, the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 isprovided with one second positioning projection 19 a which protrudesconsecutively in a width direction. The second positioning projection 19a is formed over the guide hole 28, and is provided with a recessedportion 27 a at a portion intersecting with the guide hole 28, throughwhich a guide boss 27 protruding from the rear-side end face 15 b of thecover member 15 is escaped. The second position projection 19 a has atriangular cross section, and a surface of the casing 12 at the topsurface thereof is inclined downward to face the direction of the bottomsurface 12 e and the front surface 12 a. When the inclined portion ispressed, the casing 12 is pressed toward the bottom surface and thefront surface of the mounting object such as the package.

In an example illustrated in FIG. 17, the rear surface 12 d of thecasing 12 is provided with one second positioning projection 19 a whichprotrudes consecutively in a width direction, but does not intersectwith the guide hole 28. In this example, the guide hole 28 is formed tobe biased to one side of the rear surface 12 d of the casing in thewidth direction, and one second positioning projection 19 b protrudesconsecutively from the rear surface adjacent the guide hole 28. Thesecond positioning projection 19 b is formed to have a length shorterthan that of the second positioning projection 19 a of FIG. 16. Thesecond position projection 19 b also has a triangular cross section, anda surface of the casing 12 at the side of the top surface thereof isinclined downward to face the direction of the bottom surface 12 e andthe front surface 12 a. When the inclined portion is pressed, the casing12 is pressed toward the bottom surface and the front surface of themounting object such as the package. Of course, the guide hole 29 may beformed at the center of the rear surface 12 d in the width directionthereof, and the second positioning projection 19 b may be provided at abiased position.

The rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 is provided with handle portions20 and 20 formed by projections protruding from the lateral surfaces 12b and 12 c, and the handle portion 20 has the same height as the rearsurface 12 d. The handle portions 20 and 20 function as portions bywhich a finger is caught when the staple-refill 11 is detached from thecartridge 61. When the staple-refill is mounted in the cartridge 61, thehandle portions 20 and 20 are positioned at an opening end of astaple-refill insertion port 64 of the cartridge, more specifically, atan attaching/detaching operation recessed portion 64 a which will bedescribed later. When the staple-refill 11 is pulled out from thecartridge 61, the handle portions 20 and 20 exposed through theattaching/detaching operation recessed portion 64 a is caught by thefinger or the like so that the staple-refill 11 is easily pulled outfrom the cartridge 61. Also, when the staple-refill is mounted in themounting object such as the package, the handle portions 20 and 20function as a third positioning projection together with the projectionon the front surface of the casing 12 including the fall-out preventingpiece 17 which is the first positioning projection, or the secondpositioning projections 19 and 19 on the rear surface.

Also, the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 is provided with pushedportions 29 and 29 which protrude from corner portions of the bottomsurface 12 e to have the same height. When the cartridge 61 incorporatedwith the staple-refill 11 is mounted in the magazine 101 of thestapling-machine main-body, the pushed portions 29 and 29 are pressedagainst a mounting lever 104 which is a pressing portion of the magazine101, or rear-surface positioning concave portions 114 and 134 which arepressing portions of mounting objects 111 and 131, so that the cartridgeis positioned in the magazine 101 or the mounting objects 111 and 131.The pushed portions 29 and 29 are not limited to any position if theirpositions are on the rear surface 12 d, but it is preferable that thepushed portions are formed at a position near a region in which thebottom surface 12 e with high strength intersects with the lateralsurfaces 12 b and 12 c and the rear surface 12 d to improve itspositioning accuracy. Also, the number of the pushed portion 29 ispreferably one, or three or more, but it is preferable that the pushedportion is disposed to evenly apply a pushing force.

The positioning of the sheet-type connected staples 10 of thestaple-refill 11 in a refill receiving section 63 in a transferdirection thereof is performed as follows. (Further, the transferdirection is perpendicular to both the insertion direction and the widthdirection.) As illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9, the casing 12 of thestaple-refill 11 is provided with the pushed portions 29 and 29, whichprotrude at the same height, at both corners of the bottom surface 12 eof the rear surface 12 d, that is, the portion with high strength. Whenthe cartridge 61 incorporated with the staple-refill 11 is mounted inthe magazine 101 of the stapling-machine main-body, the pushed portions29 and 29 are pressed against pushing portions 102 and 102 of themagazine 101. As described later, both lateral portions 16 a and 16 a ofthe staple discharging port 16 abut against first abutting portions 91and 91 of the staple guide section 75.

The pair of lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing 12 are providedwith guide holes 21 and 21 (a first guide part 21 and a second guidepart 21) for guiding the cover member 15 when the cover member graduallymoves down in accordance with the decreased sheet-type connected staples10 in the thickness direction. (Further, the thickness directioncorresponds to the stacking direction that is the insertion direction.)The guide holes 21 and 21 functioning as the guide portion of the covermember 15 are L-shaped through-holes, and are formed consecutively withvertical guide portions 21 a and 21 a for guiding lift of the covermember 15, and horizontal guide portions 21 b and 21 b at the side ofthe staple inserting port 14. Also, joint portions 21 c and 21 c areformed between the horizontal guide portions 21 b and 21 b and thestaple inserting port 14. If the guide holes 21 and 21 have at leastvertical guide portions 21 a and 21 a, other configuration is not alwaysrequired.

<3-2. Description of Cover Member>

The casing 12 is provided with the cover member 15 to cover theuppermost layer of the sheet-type connected staples 10 received in thestaple accommodating portion 13, as illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11 and 13.The cover member 15 is formed to have a size substantially equal to thestaple inserting port 14. The cover member 15 is provided with guidebosses 22 and 22 (a first boss 22 and a second boss 22) at oppositelateral ends 15 a and 15 a. The guide bosses 22 and 22 are engaged withthe guide holes 21 and 21. The joint portions 21 c and 21 c of the guideholes 21 and 21 of the casing 12 have tapered inner surfaces 21 e ofwhich the thickness is gradually thickened from an opening end of thestaple inserting port 14 to the lower portion, thereby forming aninsertion guide surface of the guide bosses 22 and 22, and a verticalsurface 21 f is formed to be released from a boundary between thehorizontal guide portions 21 b and 21 b. Also, the joint portions 21 cand 21 c slightly protrude outward. If the stacked sheet-type connectedstaples 10 are received in the staple accommodating portion 13, oneguide boss 22 of the cover member 15 is inserted into one horizontalguide portion 21 b from the inside, and the other guide boss 22 isinserted into the other horizontal guide portion 21 b, with sitting onthe joint portion 21 c.

Then, the guide bosses 22 and 22 move the horizontal guide portions 21 band 21 b in the direction of the vertical guide portions 21 a and 21 a,so that the cover member 15 closes the staple inserting port 14. Theleading ends of the guide bosses 22 and 22 protrude outward rather thanthe lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing 12, when being engagedwith the guide holes 21 and 21. Although described in detailhereinafter, when the staple-refill is mounted in the cartridge 61, theguide bosses 22 and 22 are engaged with an engaging portion 73 formed onthe lateral surface of the cartridge 61. Further, since the guide bosses22 and 22 protrude outward rather than the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12c of the casing 12, the guide bosses function as a fourth positioningprojection when the staple-refill 11 is mounted in the mounting objectsuch as the package.

The rear-side end face 15 b neighboring on the lateral end faces 15 aand 15 a of the cover member 15 is provided with a further guide boss27. The guide boss 27 is engaged with the guide hole 28 formed in theheight direction in the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 at asubstantially middle position thereof in the width direction.Accordingly, the cover member 15 is guided when moving down in thestaple accommodating portion 13, as the guide boss 27 of the rear-sideend face 15 b is engaged with the guide hole 28. The joint portion 28 aof the guide hole 28 of the casing 12 has a tapered inner surface 28 bof which the thickness is gradually thickened from an opening end of thestaple inserting port 14 to the lower portion, thereby forming aninsertion guide surface of the guide boss 27. The joint portion 28 a isformed to slightly protrude outward.

The cover member 15 is provided with boss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23protruding downward from each corner, as illustrated in FIG. 13. Theseboss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23 are contact portions which are broughtinto contact with the uppermost layer of the sheet-type connectedstaples 10 received in the staple accommodating portion 13. When thesheet-type connected staples 10 are completely consumed, these bossportions are engaged with escape portions 24, 24, 24 and 24 formed onfour corners of the bottom surface 12 e of the casing 12, as illustratedin FIG. 15. The number of the boss portions 23 is not specificallylimited.

The bottom surface 12 e of the casing 12 is provided with a notchrecessed portion 25 which is continuous with the staple discharging port16, as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 15. The notch recessed portion 25 ofthe bottom surface 12 e is provided at a substantially center thereofwith a positioning concave portion 26 which is further recessed towardthe rear surface 12 d. The positioning concave portion 26 is engagedwith a positioning convex portion formed on the bottom surface of thecartridge to which the staple-refill 11 is mounted, which will bedescribed later. The above-described boss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23 ofthe cover member 15 are engaged with the escape portions 24, 24, 24 and24 of the respective corner portions of the bottom surface 12 e of thecasing 12. The escape portions 24 and 24 at the side of the stapleinserting port 14 are formed on a portion of the corner portion of thenotch recessed portion 25, and the escape portions 24 and 24 at the sideof the rear surface 12 d are formed by the through-hole of the cornerportion at the side of the rear surface 12 d.

When the cover member 15 is mounted to the cartridge 61, the covermember 15 is pressed by the push lever 66 of the cartridge 61. To thisend, the top surface of the cover member 15 is provided with aconcave-shaped engaging portion 31 to which a push portion 70 of thepush lever 66 is engaged, as illustrated in FIG. 13. The concave-shapedengaging portion 31 is formed in the width direction of the cover member15. After the staple-refill 11 is mounted in the cartridge 61 and thesheet-type connected staples 10 are completely consumed, as will bedescribed hereinafter, the engaging portion 31 is engaged with the pushportion 70 of the push lever 66 at the side of the cartridge 61. Whenthe staple-refill 11 is detached from the cartridge 61, the push portion70 of the push lever 66 is moved while coming into contact with the topsurface of the cover member 15. Thus, the top surface of the covermember 15 is provided with guide walls 32 and 32 along a slidingdirection of the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 so that the pushlever 66 can move linearly. The guide walls 32 and 32 are spaced apartfrom each other by the substantially width of the push portion 70. As aresult, when the staple-refill 11 is mounted in the cartridge 61, thepush portion of the push lever 66 enters the cover member 15 through thenotch portion 18, and is guided by the guide walls 32 and 32. When thenumber of the sheet-type connected staples 10 is reduced, the pushportion of the push lever 66 is engaged with the concave-shaped engagingportion 31. When the staple-refill 11 is used while being mounted in thecartridge 61, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 is graduallymoved toward the engaging portion 31 between the guide walls 32 and 32.

The casing 12 includes a bottom wall 12BT defining the bottom surface 12e. As shown in FIG. 13, a dimension L1 of the cover member 15 in theinsertion direction is substantially the same with or larger than alength L2 between an upper face of the bottom wall 12BT and a bottom end18B of the notch portion 18 in the insertion direction.

In the state in which the staple-refill 11 is mounted in the cartridge61, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the handle portions 20 and 20 formed atthe rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 are positioned to protrudeoutward from the attaching/detaching operation recessed portion 64 a ofthe cartridge body 62. A user can easily replace the staple-refill 11 bygripping the handle portions 20 and 20 with a finger, when thestaple-refill 11 is replaced.

As the configuration of the handle portion 20, as illustrated in FIGS.18 to 20, the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 may be provided with athrough-hole 20 a which functions as a finger gripping portion (handleportion) on which the finger grips. Although the circular through-hole20 a is illustrated, a through-hole may be formed in a polygonal shapesuch as oval, triangle, quadrangle, or pentagon, or a plurality ofthrough-holes having a size to grip a finger may be formed. Also, it ispreferable that a position in which the through-hole 20 a is formed is aheight of the top surface of the cover member 15 facing an outsidethrough the through-hole 20 a, when the sheet-type connected staples 10are completely consumed. In the case where the through-hole 20 a isformed, the handle portion 20 formed by the protruding piece may not beprovided, and concave and convex portions may be reduced to simplify itsshape. Further, pulling the staple-refill 11 out from the cartridge 61is when the sheet-type connected staples 10 are completely consumed.When the sheet-type connected staples 10 are completely consumed, asillustrated in FIG. 20, the cover member 15 is positioned under thestaple accommodating portion 13. Accordingly, the staple-refill 11 canbe pulled out from the cartridge 61 by inserting the finger into thestaple accommodating portion 13 through the through-hole 20 a andgripping a perimeter of the through-hole 20 a. Moreover, the guide boss27 formed on the rear-side end face 15 b of the cover member 15 isengaged with the through-hole 20 a to function as a fall-out preventingboss for preventing the cover member 15 from falling from the stapleaccommodating portion 13.

As illustrated in FIG. 21, when the through-hole 20 a is formed, the topsurface of the cover member 15 in the staple accommodating portion 13facing the outside through the through-hole 20 a may be provided with arecessed portion 20 b. The recessed portion 20 b may be provided on thesubstantially overall top surface of the cover member 15, but it ispreferably formed at least on the top surface of the cover member 15,which comes into contact with the finger inserted through thethrough-hole 20 a, adjacent to the rear surface. In this instance, thefingertip inserted in the staple accommodating portion 13 through thethrough-hole 20 a can grip the recessed portion 20 b to more easily pullout the staple-refill 11 from the cartridge 61. Also, in this example,since the staple-refill 11 is sufficiently easily pulled out by use ofthe through-hole 20 a, the cartridge body 62 configuring the cartridge61 may not be provided with the staple fall-out preventing piece 64 a.

As the configuration of the handle portion 20, as illustrated in FIGS.22 and 23, the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 may be provided with anotch portion 20 c which functions as the finger gripping portion(handle portion) on which the finger grips. The notch portion 20 c isillustrated to have a U-shape, but it is not limited to the shape. Also,the notch portion 20 c is formed to have an about half depth from thetop of the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12. When the staple-refill 11is pulled out from the cartridge 61, the staple-refill 11 can be pulledout from the cartridge 61 by inserting the finger into the notch portion20 c and gripping a perimeter of the notch portion 20 c.

In this example illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23, the notch portion 20 cwhich is continuous with the staple inserting port 14 is formed on therear surface 12 d of the casing 12, the casing 12 is not provided withthe portion, to which the guide boss 27 of the cover member 15 isengaged. As illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 25, the rear surface 12 d of thecasing 12 may be provided with a guide groove 27 b, to which the guideboss 27 is engaged, on one side of the notch portion 20 c. That is, therear-side end face 15 b of the cover member 15 is provided with theguide boss 27 at a position which is biased in the width direction. Incorrespondence to the position of the guide boss 27, the rear surface 12d of the casing 12 is provided on an inner surface thereof with theguide groove 27 b, to which the guide boss 27 is engaged, on one side ofthe notch portion 20 c in the height direction.

The guide groove 27 b may be a through-hole penetrating the rear surface12 d, or may be a concave-shaped groove having a bottom. When the guidegroove 27 b is the through-hole, the guide boss 27 penetrates thethrough-hole, thereby preventing the cover member 15 from falling fromthe casing.

As the finger gripping portion (handle portion), to which the fingergrips, when the empty staple-refill 11 with no sheet-type connectedstaple 10 is pulled out from the cartridge body 61, as illustrated inFIGS. 26 to 28, the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing 12adjacent to the rear surface 12 d may be provided with one.Specifically, the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing 12adjacent to the rear surface 12 d are respectively provided withrecessed portions 20 d and 20 d of a concave shape. The recessedportions 20 d and 20 d are formed in a rectangular shape in alongitudinal direction which is the height direction of the casing 12.Both lateral surfaces 62 b and 62 c of the cartridge body 62 areprovided with notch recessed portions 64 b and 64 b for operatingattachment and detachment which are formed to be continuous with therefill inserting port 64, when these recessed portions 20 d and 20 d aremounted in the refill accommodating portion 63 of the cartridge body 62.The recessed portions 20 d and 20 d are exposed outward through thenotch recessed portions 64 b and 64 b of the cartridge body 62, whenthese recessed portions 20 d and 20 d are mounted in the refillaccommodating portion 63 of the cartridge body 62. In this way, the usercan easily pull out the empty staple-refill 11 with no sheet-typeconnected staple 10 from the refill accommodating portion 63 by grippingthe recessed portions 20 d and 20 d, which face the outside through thenotch recessed portions 64 b and 64 b, with the finger.

If the recessed portions 20 d and 20 d of the casing 12 have the shapesuitable for being gripped by the finger of the user, an oval or othershapes other than the rectangular shape is preferable, and a hole havinga bottom or a through-hole is preferable. Also, the recessed portion 20d and 20 d may be configured by a plurality of concave and convexportions formed on a desired region, or an antiskid portion attachedwith a rubber sheet or the like.

<4. Description of Fundamental Configuration of Cartridge (FIGS. 5 to 9,FIGS. 29 to 38, and so forth)>

As described above, the staple-refill 11 is mounted in the cartridge 61which is mounted in the magazine of the stapling-machine main-body ofthe electric stapling machine 1, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 9. Thecartridge 61 is one example of the mounting object accommodating thecasing 12 therein. The cartridge 61 is configured by engaging a baseplate member 74 with the cartridge body 62 which is provided with therefill accommodating portion 63 accommodated with the staple-refill 11therein. As one example, the base plate member 74 is formed integrallywith the cartridge body 62 by engaging the pair of engaging pieces 74 dand 74 d with the engaging recessed portion 74 e formed on the bottomside of the cartridge body 62. Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 9, therear surface 62 d of the cartridge body 62 is provided with the refillinserting port 64 which is continuous with the refill accommodatingportion 63. Both lateral surfaces 62 b and 62 c of the cartridge body 62are provided with the attaching/detaching operation recessed portions 64a and 64 a which are continuous with the refill inserting port 64. Whenthe staple-refill 11 is mounted in the refill accommodating portion 63,the handle portions 20 and 20 of the staple-refill 11 are positioned toprotrude outward through the refill inserting portion 64. Since theattaching/detaching operation recessed portions 64 a and 64 a are formedto be continuous with the refill inserting port 64, the user can easilyperform the attaching and detaching operation of the staple-refill 11 bygripping the handle portions 20 and 20 with the finger. The shape of theattaching/detaching operation recessed portions 64 a and 64 a is notspecifically limited, if the handle portions 20 and 20 can protrudeoutward in the state in which the staple-refill 11 is accommodated inthe refill accommodating portion 63.

The front surface 62 e of the cartridge 61 is provided with a strikingsection 65 which is continuous with the bottom surface. The strikingsection 65 is provided with a staple guide section 75 for guiding thelowermost layer of the sheet-type connected staples 10 in thestaple-refill 11 accommodated in the refill accommodating portion 63,which will be described later. The striking section 65 functions as aportion for striking the staple.

Both lateral surfaces 62 b and 62 c of the cartridge body 62 areprovided with pivot bosses 61 a and 61 a. The pivot bosses 61 a and 61 aare engaged with pivot support portions 105 and 105 of the magazine 101at the side of the stapling-machine main-body, as illustrated in FIGS. 3and 4, thereby guiding the cartridge 61 along a pivot trace when thecartridge 61 is attached to or detached from the magazine 101. In thisway, when the staple-refill 11 is changed from the magazine 101 or thejam cleaning is carried out, the cartridge 61 is pivoted to be pulledout from the frame 9 a configuring the outer housing. The top surface ofthe cartridge body 62 is provided with a tab 9 which is positioned abovethe refill inserting port 64. The pivot operation of the cartridge 61 iscarried out by use of the tab 9.

<4-1. Description of Push Lever>

As illustrated in FIGS. 29 and 30, the refill accommodating portion 63is provided therein with the push lever 66 for pushing the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 stacked in the staple accommodating portion 13 viathe cover member 15 of the accommodated staple-refill 11. On the topsurface 62 a of the cartridge body 62, the push lever 66 is provided ona convex-shaped lever installing portion 67 extending from the rear sideformed with the refill inserting port 64 to the front surface formedwith the striking section 65. Specifically, the push lever 66 isprovided on the lever installing portion 67, in the state in which itsbase end faces the refill inserting port 64, while its proximal endfaces the inside of the refill accommodating portion 63. As illustratedin FIG. 31, the push lever 66 has pivot shafts 68 and 68 protruding fromthe distal end, and the pivot shafts 68 and 68 are engaged with pivotholes 69 and 69 formed in the lateral surface of the lever installingportion 67. In this way, the push lever 66 is pivotally supported in adirection of the arrow C in FIG. 30 and in a direction opposite to thearrow C. The push lever 66 functions as the push portion 70 of which itsleading end portion comes into contact with the cover member 15 of thestaple-refill 11 accommodated in the refill accommodating portion 63.

The push lever 66 is provided therein with a coil spring 71 functioningas a resilient biasing member, as illustrated in FIGS. 30 and 31. Thecoil spring 71 has one end portion which is locked to a locking convexportion 71 a formed in the lever installing portion 67, and the otherend portion which is locked to a locking concave portion 71 b at therear side of the push portion 70 of the push lever 66. As a result, thepush lever 66 is pivotally biased by the coil spring 71 in the directionof the arrow C in FIG. 30 to always push the cover member 15 of thestaple-refill 11. As illustrated in FIG. 30, when the staple-refill 11is inserted in the refill accommodating portion 63 via the refillinserting port 64, it enters via the notch portion 18 of the frontsurface 12 a of the casing 12 functioning as an insertion surface, andis sited on the cover member 15 while being guided by the guide walls 32and 32. The push portion 70 coming into contact with the cover member 15is guided by the guide walls 32 and 32, when the sheet-type connectedstaples 10 are decreased, and then is engaged with the engaging portion31 of the concave shape. In this way, the push lever 66 can reliablypush the sheet-type connected staples 10 stacked in the stapleaccommodating portion 13 via the cover member 15. When the staple-refillis pulled out from the refill accommodating portion 63, the push portion70 is guided by the guide walls 32 and 32, and the push lever 66 isreleased from the staple-refill 11 via the notch portion 18. Also, sincethe push portion 70 is engaged with the engaging portion of the concaveshape, the cover member 15 prevents the staple-refill 11 from fallingdown from the refill accommodating portion 63 by mistake. Further, sincethe release of the push lever 66 is automatically performed duringpull-out operation of the staple-refill 11, the releasing operation ofthe push lever 66 or the like is not necessary, thereby achieving theimprovement in operability.

Although it is described the case where the push lever 66 is directlybiased by the coil spring 71, the configuration of the push lever 66 isnot specifically limited. For example, the push lever may push thesheet-type connected staples 10 stacked in the staple-refill 11 via alink mechanism, while utilizing the resilient force of the spring or thelike.

<4-2. Description of Locking Mechanism (Engaging Portion)>

As illustrated in FIG. 32, the cartridge 61 is provided with a lockingmechanism 72 for preventing the staple-refill 11 from falling out fromthe refill accommodating portion 63 in use. The locking mechanism 72 isprovided with engaging portions 73 and 73 which are engaged with theguide bosses 22 and 22 protruding outward rather than the guide holes 21and 21 of the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing 12 on theinner surface of the lateral surfaces 62 b and 62 c of the cartridgebody 62. The engaging portions 73 and 73 protrude from the refillaccommodating portion 63, and thus are engaged with the guide bosses 22and 22 of the staple-refill 11.

As illustrated in FIGS. 32(A) and 32(B), when the staple-refill loadedwith the maximum amount of sheet-type connected staples 10 is inserted,the engaging portions 73 and 73 have pick-up portions 73 a and 73 a forpicking up the guide bosses 22 and 22 of the staple-refill 11,separation restricting portions 73 b and 73 b formed in parallel withthe vertical guide portions 21 a and 21 a of the guide holes 21 and 21of the staple-refill 11 to restrict separation of the staple-refill 11,and disengaging portions 73 c and 73 c for allowing the engagingportions from being separated from the refill accommodating portion 63when the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the staple-refill 11 arecompletely consumed. The pick-up portions 73 a and 73 a are formed atthe upper portion, while the disengaging portions 73 c and 73 c areformed at the lower portion. The separation restricting portions 73 band 73 b are vertically formed. The pick-up portions 73 a and 73 a canreliably pick up the guide bosses 22 and 22 of the staple-refill 11loaded with the maximum amount of the sheet-type connected staples 10.Since the refill inserting port 64 is formed at a lower position, thepick-up portions 73 and 73 a are formed to gradually rise as it goesinside. Also, the disengaging portions 73 c and 73 c are formed toposition upward rather than the height position of the guide bosses 22and 22 when the sheet-type connected staples 10 of the staple-refill 11is completely consumed. That is, with the guide bosses 22 and 22 of thecover member 15, the boss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23 formed on the rearsurface of the cover member 15 are engaged with the escape portions 24,24, 24 and 24 formed at four corners of the bottom surface 12 e of thecasing 12. In this way, the height position of the guide bosses 22 and22 is placed below the disengaging portions 73 c and 73 c (see FIG. 15).

As illustrated in FIG. 33, when the staple-refill 11 is accommodated inthe refill accommodating portion 63 through the refill inserting port 64of the cartridge 61, the guide bosses 22 and 22 of the cover member 15are first engaged with the pick-up portions 73 a and 73 a. As thestaple-refill 11 is accommodated in the refill accommodating portion 63,the guide bosses 22 and 22 of the cover member 15 pushed by the pushlever 66 in the direction of the arrow C in FIG. 33 are lifted againstthe resilient biasing force of the coil spring 71 by the inclinedsurface of the pick-up portions 73 a and 73 a. If the staple-refill 11is completely accommodated in the refill accommodating portion 63, asillustrated in FIG. 34, the guide bosses 22 and 22 reach the separationrestricting portions 73 b and 73 b. In this instance, the cover member15 is slightly moved down by the push lever 66 which is resilientlybiased in the direction of the arrow C in FIG. 34, and then is pushedagainst the uppermost layer of the sheet-type connected staples 10 togenerate click feeling, so that it can notify the user of that thestaple-refill 11 is reliably mounted in the cartridge 61.

In use, the guide bosses 22 and 22 move gradually the separationrestricting portions 73 b and 73 b as the sheet-type connected staples10 are decreased. If the sheet-type connected staples 10 of thestaple-refill 11 are completely consumed, the boss portions 23, 23, 23and 23 formed on the rear surface of the cover member 15 are engagedwith the escape portions 24, 24, 24 and 24 formed at four corners of thebottom surface 12 e of the casing 12. The height position of the guidebosses 22 and 22 is placed below the disengaging portions 73 c and 73 c.Even though the sheet-type connected staples 10 are completely consumed,since the push lever 66 continuously pushes the cover member 15 in thedirection of the arrow C in FIG. 35, the boss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23formed on the rear surface of the cover member 15 can be reliablyengaged with the escape portions 24, 24, 24 and 24 of the bottom surface12 e of the casing 12 (see FIG. 15).

If the boss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23 are reliably engaged with theescape portions 24, 24, 24 and 24, the guide bosses 22 and 22 are moveddown by the height of the boss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23, and thus arereliably positioned below the disengaging portions 73 c and 73 c. Thatis, the guide bosses 22 and 22 are reliably released from the engagingstate with the separation restricting portions 73 b and 73 b. In thisway, when the staple-refill 11 is pulled out from the refillaccommodating portion 63, the guide bosses 22 and 22 can reliably passbelow the disengaging portions 73 c and 73 c. The staple-refill 11 canbe pulled out from the refill accommodating portion 63.

The locking mechanism 72 prevents that the sheet-type connected staple10 is detached from the cartridge 61 and thus the sheet-type connectedstaple 10 already sent to the striking section 65 is separated from thesheet-type connected staples 10 in the staple-refill 11, while thestaple-refill 11 is used, and also prevents that the staple-refill 11 isagain mounted in the cartridge 61 and thus is failure. Moreover, whenthe staple-refill 11 is replaced, it is not necessary to carry out theoperation such as push release of the push lever 66, thereby improvingthe operability. Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 39(A), one example ofthe positioning concave portion 113 is elements 74 f and 74 f enclosedby an inner wall surface 63 a of the refill accommodating portion 63,which accommodates the casing 12 of the cartridge 61, at the side of thestriking section, and the separation restricting portions 73 b and 73 b.

<4-3. Description of Staple Guide Section (Striking Section)>

The front surface of the cartridge body 62 is provided with the strikingsection 65 for guiding the lowermost layer of the sheet-type connectedstaples 10 in the staple-refill 11 accommodated in the refillaccommodating portion 63, and striking the staple. As illustrated inFIG. 31, the cartridge body 62 is provided with the base plate member 74configuring the bottom surface of the cartridge 61. The base platemember 74 is provided with the staple guide section 75 at the frontsurface side thereof.

The staple guide 75 abuts against a staple guide cover 75 a and a stapleguide plate 75 b to form therein a passage corresponding to a thicknessand a width of the lowermost sheet-type connected staple 10 in thestaple-refill 11. The passage guides at least one side of the upper andlower surfaces (flat portion) of the lowermost sheet-type connectedstaple 10, when the lowermost layer of the sheet-type connected staples10 of the staple accommodating portion 13 is sent from the stapledischarging port 16 to the striking section 65 by the transfermechanism, and also guides both end portions of the lowermost sheet-typeconnected staple 10.

The staple guide cover 75 a and the staple guide plate 75 b configuringthe passage are a member for sending the sheet-type connected staples 10to the striking section 65, and are formed by punching out a metal sheetof high strength or the like so as to accurately position the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 with respect to the forming plate 80 a or thedriver plate 80 b at the side of the stapling-machine main-body.

A leading end portion of the passage for sending the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 becomes a position in which a straight stapleplaced at a leading end of the sent sheet-type connected staple 10 isformed in a U-shape by the forming plate, and then is struck toward thepaper to be bound by the driver plate. The staple guide plate 75 b isprovided with a protruding anvil 76 forming the U-shaped staple by theforming plate.

The staple guide cover 75 a and the staple guide plate 75 b are alignedwith each position to form positioning holes 74 a and 74 a, andpositioning bosses 74 b and 74 b protruding from the base plate member74 and positioning bosses 74 c and 74 c at the side of the cartridge 61are engaged with the positioning holes 74 a and 74 a to achieve thepositioning thereof.

The front surface of the striking section 65 is provided with a pusher77, and the pusher 77 is biased forward by biasing members 78 and 78such as a coil spring. The pusher 77 is formed in a U-shape, and legportions 77 a and 77 a parallel to each are engaged with guide recessedportion 77 b and 77 b of the base plate member 74, so that the pusher isguided forward. Also, the front surface of the striking section 65 isprovided with a faceplate 79 at a further forward of the pusher 77.

The cartridge 61 is made from, for example, plastic by injectionmolding, as illustrated in FIG. 31, and the faceplate 79 is formed bybending, for example, metal of strength higher than that. The faceplate79 has a face portion 79 a covering the pusher 77, and arm portions 79 band 79 b at both sides of the face portion 79 a. The arm portions 79 band 79 b have support recessed portions 79 c and 79 c, and the supportrecessed portions 79 c and 79 c are engaged with pivot support bosses 79d and 79 d formed on both sides of the base plate member 74, so that thearm portions is pivotally supported in a direction of the arrow D inFIG. 30 and in a direction opposite to the arrow D. The face portion 79a closes the front surface of the pusher 77, as illustrated in FIGS. 37and 38. A gap is formed between the face portion 79 a and the stapleguide plate 75 b, and the forming plate 80 a and the driver plate 80 bwhich are driven by the drive mechanism of the stapling-machinemain-body enter the gap. Also, the forming plate 80 a and the driverplate 80 b are provided to move forward and backward with respect to thegap. Some straight staples from the leading end of the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 sent through the passage formed between the stapleguide cover 75 a and the staple guide plate 75 b of the staple guidesection 75 are formed in the U-shape by the forming plate 80 a enteringthe gap between the face portion 79 a and the staple guide plate 75 b.When the straight staple is formed in the U-shape, the staple bent bythe forming plate 80 a is bent by the anvil 76 and the pusher 77. Thebent staple is struck along the faceplate 79 by the driver plate 80 b.Meanwhile, the faceplate 79 is pivoted in the direction opposite to thedirection of the arrow D in FIG. 30, and thus closes the front surfaceof the striking section 65. When jam or the like occurs, the faceplateis pivoted in the direction of the arrow D in FIG. 30, and thus opensthe front surface of the striking section 65 to remove the cloggedstaple.

<4-4. Description of Transfer Mechanism>

The base plate member 74 is provided with a transfer mechanism 81 fortransferring the lowermost sheet-type connected staple 10 from thestaple-refill 11 mounted in the refill accommodating portion 63 of thecartridge 61 to the striking section 65. The transfer mechanism 81includes, as illustrated in FIGS. 31 and 38, a guide member 83 moving inthe transfer direction of the sheet-type connected staple 10, a transferplate 84 having an inclined portion 84 a engaging with the driver plate80 b, a transfer claw 85 engaging with the sheet-type connected staple10 to be sent, a torsion coil spring functioning as a biasing member forbiasing the transfer claw 95 in a direction to engage with thesheet-type connected staple 10, and a coil spring 87 functioning as aresilient biasing member for resiliently biasing the guide member 83 inthe transfer direction of the sheet-type connected staple 10, in theguide recessed portion 82 provided at the widthwise center of the baseplate member 74 in the longitudinal direction thereof.

The guide member 83 is provided with the transfer claw 85 pivotallysupported by a support shaft 85 a which penetrates in a shaft hole 85 bformed in opposite lateral sides of the guide member 83. The transferclaw 85 is pivotally biased in a direction to expose outward through anopening portion 83 a of the guide member 83 by the torsion coil spring86 having one end locked to the transfer claw 85 and the other endlocked to the guide member 83. The transfer claw 85 is engaged with thefine concave portion formed between the straight staples adjacent toeach other of the lowermost sheet-type connected staples 10 in thestaple-refill 11. Also, one end portion of the guide member 83 at theside of the striking section 65 is attached by the transfer plate 84 byengaging the concave portions 83 b and 84 b. The transfer plate 84 isprovided with the inclined portion 84 a at its leading end, and theinclined portion 84 a is exposed between the face portion 79 a of thefaceplate 79 and the pusher 77. The coil spring 87 is provided in theguided state by guide walls 82 a and 82 a in the guide recessed portion82 between the lateral surface of the guide recessed portion 82 at theside the refill inserting port 64 and the guide member 83. The coilspring 87 biases the guide member 83 in a direction of the strikingsection 65, that is, a direction of the arrow E in FIG. 38.

With the transfer mechanism 81, if the inclined portion 84 a of thetransfer plate 84 is pushed by the driver plate 80 b entering betweenthe face portion 79 a of the faceplate 79 and the pusher 77 to strikethe staple, the guide member 83 is moved in a direction opposite to thedirection of the arrow E in FIG. 38, with being against the biasingforce of the coil spring 87. In this way, the transfer claw 85 of theguide member 83 is moved in the direction opposite to the direction ofthe arrow D by one straight staple of the lowermost sheet-type connectedstaples 10 in the staple-refill 11, and then is engaged with a next fineconcave portion from the fine concave portion between the straightstaples engaged until now. After that, the guide member 83 is returnedto its original position by the biasing force of the coil spring 87,that is, is moved in the direction of the arrow E in FIG. 38. In thisinstance, the transfer claw 85 of the guide member 83 sends out onestraight staple 1 toward the striking section 65.

<4-5. Description of Positioning Mechanism>

As illustrated in FIGS. 31, 39 and 40, the staple guide plate 75 b whichoverlaps with the staple guide cover 75 a to configure the staple guidesection 75 is provided with a positioning convex portion 89 protrudingtoward the refill inserting port 64 when it is attached to the baseplate member 74. The positioning convex portion 89 functions as thepositioning portion, and, when the staple-refill 11 is mounted in therefill accommodating portion 63, is fitted into the positioning concaveportion 26 formed on the bottom surface 12 e of the casing 12functioning as a positioned portion. That is, the positioning convexportion 89 has faces 89 a and 89 a parallel to the insertion directionof the staple-refill 11, and, when the staple-refill 11 is inserted inthe refill accommodating portion 63, is fitted into the positioningconcave portion 26 formed on the bottom surface 12 e of the casing 12.In this instance, the faces 89 a and 89 a, which are parallel to theinsertion direction of the staple-refill 11, of the positioning convexportion 89 are brought into contact with fitting surfaces 26 a and 26 aof the positioning concave portion 26. The positioning mechanism 88 ofthe staple-refill 11 configured as described above performs thepositioning of the sheet-type connected staples 10 accommodated in thestaple accommodated portion 13 of the casing 12 in the width directionof the staple-refill which is an extension direction of the sheet-typeconnected staple 10, that is, the positioning convex portion 89 performsthe positioning of the sheet-type connected staples 10 in a directionperpendicular to the transfer direction. In this way, the lowermostsheet-type connected staple 10 in the staple accommodating portion 13 istransferred to the passage formed between the staple guide cover 75 a ofthe staple guide section 75 and the staple guide plate 75 b through thestaple discharging port 16 of the staple-refill 11. Moreover, thepositioning of the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the transferdirection can be performed by abutting the leading end of thepositioning convex portion 89 against the end portion of the positioningconcave portion 26 opposite to the leading end.

The positioning of the sheet-type connected staples 10 of thestaple-refill 11 in the transfer direction in the refill accommodatingportion 63 is performed as follows. As illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9, thecasing 12 of the staple-refill 11 is provided with the pushed portions29 and 29 which protrude from both corner portions of the bottom surface12 e to have the same height. When the cartridge 61 incorporated withthe staple-refill 11 is mounted in the magazine 101 of thestapling-machine main-body, the pushed portions 29 and 29 are pressedagainst the pushing portions 102 and 102 of the magazine 101.

In the cartridge 61, as illustrated in FIGS. 24, 25 and 28, both lateralportions 16 a and 16 a of the staple discharging port 16 of the casing12 abut against the first abutting portions 91 and 91 of the stapleguide section 75, which is fixed to the cartridge 61 and the base platemember 74, at both sides of the positioning convex portion 89. Also,second abutting portions 92 and 92 are formed at the staple guidesection 75 at the side of the face portion 79 a of the faceplate 79.When the cartridge 61 is mounted in the magazine 101, the secondabutting portions 92 and 92 abut against the inner surface of the faceportion 79 a of the faceplate 79. The outer surface of the faceplate 79which is opposite to the inner surface abutting against the secondabutting portions 92 and 92 abuts against mounting reference portions103 and 103 of the magazine 101. Meanwhile, the first and secondabutting portions 91, 91, 92 and 92 are formed on the staple guide plate75 b in this example, but may be formed on the staple guide cover 75 a.

That is, when the cartridge 61 incorporated with the staple-refill 11 ismounted in the magazine 101 of the stapling-machine main-body, thepushed portions 29 and 29 of the staple-refill 11 are pushed by thepushing portions 102 and 102 of the magazine 101, and both lateralsportions 16 a and 16 a of the staple discharging port 16 abut againstthe first abutting portions 91 and 91 of the staple guide section 75 andare in close contact with them. Also, the second abutting portions 92and 92 of the staple guide section 75 abut against the face portion 79 aof the faceplate 79, and the face portion 79 a abuts against themounting reference portions 103 and 103 of the magazine 101. That is,the positioning of the staple-refill 11, which functions as the supplysource of the sheet-type connected staples 10, in the magazine 101 isperformed by abutment of the mounting reference portions 103 and 103 viathe staple guide section 75 and the faceplate 79.

In this way, it is not necessary to provide the cartridge 61 with theportion to be pushed by the pushing portions 102 and 102, therebysimplifying the configuration of the cartridge 61 and downsizing theappearance of the cartridge 61. Moreover, the staple-refill 11 havingthe rear surface provided with the pushed portions 29 and 29 to bepushed by the pushing portions 102 and 102 is a consumable supply whichis replaced by new one if the sheet-type connected staples 10 arecompletely consumed.

Accordingly, the pushed portions 29 and 29 to be pushed by the pushingportions 102 and 102 are changed by the appearance of new one wheneverthe staple-refill 11 is replaced, so that the staple-refill 11 can bepositioned accurately.

In general, the staple-refill 11 is not accurately positioned in thecartridge 61, and thus rattling occurs. For this reason, since therattling of the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the cartridge 61 isincreased, the slope of the inclined portion 84 a of the transfer plate84 is decreased to absorb the rattling, so that the inclined surface isgently inclined. Therefore, operation stroke of the guide member 83 orthe transfer plate 84 of the transfer mechanism 81 is extended. In theexample of FIGS. 37, 38 and 41, the staple-refill is pushed by thepushing portions 102 and 103 of the magazine 101, and then is pressed bythe mounting reference portions 103 and 103 via the staple guide section75 and the faceplate 79, so that the staple-refill in the magazine 101can be accurately positioned. As a result, since the operation stroke ofthe guide member 83 or the transfer plate 84 of the transfer mechanism81 can be shortened, the downsizing of the cartridge 61 can be achieved.Also, since the staple-refill 11 abuts against the mounting referenceportions 103 and 103 of the magazine 101 via the staple guide section 75and the faceplate 79 which are made from metal of high strength, moreaccurate positioning can be performed. Further, since the casing 12 isbrought into close contact with the staple guide section 75 to make thestaple guide section 75 in contact with the faceplate 79, the dimensionof the gap through which the staple passes can be reliably maintained.

In the above example, although it has been described the case where thepushed portions 29 and 29 protruding in the same height from the rearsurface 12 d of the casing 12 are pushed by the pushing portions 102 and102 of the magazine 101 and thus the staple-refill 11 abuts against themounting reference portions 103 and 103 of the magazine 101 to performthe accurate positioning, but the configuration in FIGS. 43 to 46 may beprovided. In the example in FIGS. 43 and 44, the rear surface 12 d ofthe casing 12 is formed in the same height, and the pushed portions 29and 29 are not provided with a convex portion, but provided with planarportions 29 a and 29 a which are identical to other region of the rearsurface 12 d. In this instance, as illustrated in FIG. 44, the flatpushed portions 29 and 29 are pushed by the pushing portions 102 and 102of the magazine 101. Since there is not recess and convex portion on thepushed portions 29 and 29, the appearance of the staple-refill 11 can besimplified.

The pushed portions 29 and 29 formed on the rear surface 12 d of thecasing 12 may be provided with concave portions 29 b and 29 b, asillustrated in FIGS. 45 and 46. In this instance, the pushing portions102 and 102 of the magazine 101 pushing the concave portions 29 b and 29b are provided with convex portions 102 a and 102 a which are engagedwith the concave portions 29 b and 29 b to push the casing 12. Since theconvex portions 102 a and 102 a are engaged with the concave portions 29b and 29 b, the pushed portions 29 and 29 of the concave shape areaccurately aligned with the pushing portions 102 and 102, and then arepushed by the pushing portions 102 and 102 of the convex shape of themagazine 101.

As described above, the positioning of the staple-refill 11 in themagazine 101 requires that the staple-refill 11 is pushed against themounting reference portions 103 and 103 via the staple guide section 75and the faceplate 79. In the example in FIGS. 47(A) and 47(B), thecartridge 61 is provided with a pushing member 106. The pushing member106 is a member replacing the pushing portions 102 and 102 provided onthe magazine 101. The pushing member 106 is provided to be continuouswith the bottom surface of the refill accommodating portion 63 at theside of the refill inserting port 64 of the cartridge body 62. Theleading end portion of the pushing member 106 is provided with pushingportions 106 a and 106 a pushing the pushed portions 29 and 29 of thecasing 12. In the example in FIGS. 47(A) and 47(B), the staple-refill 11may be pushed against the mounting reference portions 103 and 103 by thepushing portions 106 a and 106 a of the pushing member 106 of thecartridge body 62 via the staple guide section 75 and the faceplate 79which are provided at the front side of the cartridge body 62. However,in the example in FIGS. 47(A) and 47(B), since the cartridge body 62 isprovided with the pushing member 106, the cartridge body 62 is increasedin size by the pushing member 106. By contrast, the cartridge 61illustrated in the example in FIGS. 37 and 38 can be downsized by thepushing member 106, since the cartridge body 62 is not necessarilyprovided with the pushing member 106.

With the staple-refill 11 accommodated in the refill accommodatingportion 63 of the cartridge 61, as illustrated in FIGS. 37, 38 and 41,the pushed portions 29 and 29 are pushed by the pushing portions 102 and102 of the magazine 101, and both lateral portions 16 a and 16 a of thestaple discharging port 16 abut against the first abutting portions 91and 91 of the staple guide section 75 by the pushing force, and then arein close contact with the first abutting portions. Also, the secondabutting portions 92 and 92 of the staple guide section 75 abut againstthe face portion 79 a of the faceplate 79, and the face portion 79 aabuts against the mounting reference portions 103 and 103 of themagazine 101. Accordingly, to achieve the function, as illustrated inFIGS. 48(A) and 48(B), it is not necessary to provide the front surface12 a of the casing 12 with the front wall. In this instance, the pushedportions 29 and 29 are pushed by the pushing portions 102 and 102 of themagazine 101, and corner portions 16 e and 16 e formed by the bottomsurface 12 e and the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c at the front surface12 a of the casing 12 abut against the first abutting portions 91 and 91of the staple guide section 75 by the pushing force, thereby obtainingthe same effect as the case of the front wall.

<5. Description of Fundamental Configuration of Magazine (FIGS. 36 to38, FIG. 41, and so forth)>

As illustrated in FIGS. 37 and 38, the magazine 101 includes themounting reference portions 103 and 103, and is provided with thepushing portions 102 and 102 at the position opposite to the pushedportions 29 and 29 of the rear surface 12 d of the staple-refill 11incorporated in the cartridge 61 so as to allow the face portion 79 a ofthe faceplate 79 abut against the mounting reference portions 103 and103. Also, the magazine 101 is provided with the mounting levers 104 and104 holding the cartridge 61 incorporated with the staple-refill 11, andthe mounting levers 104 and 104 push the second positioning projections19 and 19 protruding from the rear surface 12 d of the staple-refill 11in a triangular shape. The mounting levers 104 and 104 are resilientpieces formed by bending, for example, a leaf spring, and have leadingend portions bent, for example, at a substantially right angle to formengaging pieces 104 a and 104 a which are engaged with the upper-sideend face 19 c forming the inclined portion of the second positioningprojections 19 and 19. The bent angle of the leading end portion is notlimited to the substantially right angle, and other angle is preferableif the angle can obtain the engaging force suitable for the shape of thesecond positioning projections 19 and 19. The engaging pieces 104 a and104 a of the mounting levers 104 and 104 are engaged with the upper-sideend face 19 c of the second positioning projections 19 and 19. Themounting levers 104 and 104 press the cartridge 61 towards the bottomsurface and the front surface of the magazine 101 via the staple-refill11 to fix, that is, lock, the magazine, by the fact in that the engagingpieces 104 a and 104 a are engaged with the upper-side end face 19 c ofthe second positioning projections 19 and 19 to push the secondpositioning projections 19 and 19 from the upper portion. That is, thesecond positioning projections 19 and 19 function as an additionalpushed portion together with the pushed portions 29 and 29. The mountinglevers 104 and 104 are a locking member for locking the cartridge 61 inthe state in which the cartridge 61 is mounted in the magazine 101, andthe second positioning projections 19 and 19 provided on the rearsurface of the staple-refill 11 are a locked portion which is locked tothe mounting levers 104 and 104.

The magazine 101 is provided with the forming plate 80 a and the driverplate 80 b. As illustrated in FIGS. 37 and 38, the forming plate 80 aenters between the faceplate 79 and the staple guide plate 75 b from thetop surface of the striking section 65, and moves the straight staple 10a, which is positioned at the leading end portion of the lowermostsheet-type connected staple 10 in the staple accommodating portion 13 ofthe staple-refill 11, along the pusher 77, so that the staple is formedin the U-shape by the anvil 76. The driver plate 80 b is providedtogether with the forming plate 80 a at the side of the faceplate 79rather than the forming plate 80 a. The driver plate 80 b enters betweenthe faceplate 79 and the pusher 77 from the top surface of the strikingsection 65, and strikes the staple 10 a bent in the U-shape in thedirection of the arrow X in FIG. 38.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9, 37, 38, or the like, the secondpositioning projections 19 and 19 formed on the rear surface 12 d of thecasing 12 have the face surface 19 c, which is inclined downward towardthe direction of the bottom surface 12 e and the front surface 12 a, atthe side of the top surface of the casing 12. When the inclined portionis pushed down, the casing 12 is pressed against the bottom surface andthe front surface of the mounting object by the mounting levers 104 and104. That is, the mounting lever 104 performs a role corresponding tothe pushing portion 102, while the second positioning projections 19 and19 perform a role corresponding to the pushed portions 29 and 29.Accordingly, when the staple-refill 11 mounted in the cartridge 61 abutsagainst the mounting reference portions 103 and 103 of the magazine 101,it is not positively necessary to provide the casing 12 with the pushedportions 29 and 29, and the magazine 101 with the pushing portions 102and 102.

That is, as illustrated in FIG. 49(A), the staple-refill 11 used hereinis not provided with the pushed portions 29 and 29 at the cornerportions of the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 at the side of thebottom surface 12 e, but is provided with the second positioningprojections 19 and 19 protruding in the triangular shape. The magazine101, in which the cartridge 61 incorporated with the staple-refill 11 ismounted, is not provided with the pushing portions 102 and 102 forpushing the pushed portions 29 and 29, but is provided with the mountinglevers 104 and 104 for pushing the second positioning projections 19 and19 to hold the cartridge 61 incorporated with the staple-refill 11. Themounting levers 104 and 104 have the leading end portions bent at asubstantially right angle to form the engaging pieces 104 a and 104 awhich are engaged with the upper-side end face 19 c of the secondpositioning projections 19 and 19. The mounting levers 104 and 104function as the pushing portions 102 and 102 to press the staple-refill11 towards the bottom surface and the front surface of the refillaccommodating portion 63 in the cartridge 61. In this way, thestaple-refill 11 in the refill accommodating portion 63 is locked in theaccommodated state. Herewith, the staple-refill 11 is positioned withrespect to the magazine 101, as illustrated in FIG. 49(B), as bothlateral portions 16 a and 16 a of the staple discharging port 16 abutagainst the first abutting portions 91 and 91 of the staple guidesection 7 by the resiliently biasing force of the mounting levers 104and 104 to be in close contact with the first abutting portions, thesecond abutting portions 92 and 92 of the staple guide section 75 abutagainst the face portion 79 a of the faceplate 79, and the face portion79 a abuts against the mounting reference portions 103 and 103 of themagazine 101.

The shape of the second positioning projections 19 and 19 functioning asthe pushed portion is limited to the triangular shape protruding fromthe rear surface 12 d of the casing 12. For example, the secondpositioning projections 19 and 19 functioning as the pushed portion maybe formed in a concave shape which is bent downward when the upper-sideend face 19 c is inclined downward in the direction of the bottomsurface 12 e and the front surface 12 a, as illustrated in FIG. 50(A).In this instance, as the engaging portions 104 a and 104 a of themounting levers 104 and 104 are engaged with the upper-side end face 19c bent downward, the staple-refill 11 is pressed towards the bottomsurface and the front surface of the refill accommodating portion 63. Atthat time, in the case where the second positioning projections 19 and19 come into contact with the engaging portions 104 a and 104 a at onepoint of a first contact portion 19X, the pushing force as illustratedby the solid-line arrow in FIG. 50(A) acts. Also, in the case where thesecond positioning projections 19 and 19 come into contact with theengaging portions 104 a and 104 a at two points of the first contactportion 19X and a second contact portion 19Y, the pushing force asillustrated by the dotted-line arrow in FIG. 50(A) further acts.Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 50(B), the second positioningprojections 19 and 19 functioning as the pushed portion may protrude inan arc shape from the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12, and theupper-side end face 19 c facing the direction of the bottom surface 12 eand the front surface 12 a may be formed in a convex surface of an arcshape. In this instance, as the engaging portions 104 a and 104 a of themounting levers 104 and 104 are engaged with the upper-side end face 19c bent in an arc shape, the staple-refill 11 is pressed towards thebottom surface and the front surface of the refill accommodating portion63. Also, as illustrated in FIG. 50(C), the second positioningprojections 19 and 19 functioning as the pushed portion may be formed ofa stepped portion protruding from the rear surface 12 d of the casing12. The stepped portion of this case consists of a surface parallel tothe front surface 12 a of the casing 12 and a surface parallel to thebottom surface 12 e. The bent portions of the engaging portions 104 aand 104 a of the mounting levers 104 and 104 are engaged with thestepped portion, so that the staple-refill 11 is pressed towards thebottom surface and the front surface of the refill accommodating portion63. In this instance, in the case where the second positioningprojections 19 and 19 come into contact with the engaging portions 104 aand 104 a at one point of the first contact portion 19X, the pushingforce as illustrated by the solid-line arrow in FIG. 50(C) acts. Also,in the case where the second positioning projections 19 and 19 come intocontact with the engaging portions 104 a and 104 a at two points of thefirst contact portion 19X and a second contact portion 19Y, the pushingforce as illustrated by the dotted-line arrow in FIG. 50(C) furtheracts.

In the above example, the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 is providedwith the second positioning projections 19 and 19 protruding therefrom,but the second positioning projections 19 and 19 may be formed not inthe projection, but in a concave portion. Specifically, as illustratedin FIGS. 51(A) and 51(B), the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 isprovided with a positioning concave portion 19 d functioning as thepushed portion. The positioning concave portion 19 d is formed in thewidth direction to cross the guide hole 28 of the rear surface 12 d ofthe casing 12, and the leading end portions of the mounting levers 104and 104 are formed in a concave portion recessed in a triangular shapecorresponding to the engaging pieces 104 a and 104 a which are bent at asubstantially right angle. In this instance, as the engaging portions104 a and 104 a of the mounting levers 104 and 104 are engaged with thepositioning concave portion 19 d, the staple-refill 11 is pressedtowards the bottom surface and the front surface of the refillaccommodating portion 63. Meanwhile, the concave shape of thepositioning concave portion 19 d is not limited to the triangular shape,but an arc shape or a stepped shape is preferable. Moreover, the numberof the positioning concave portions 19 d may be provided in plural, and,for example, the rear surface 12 d may be provided with two positioningconcave portions (for example, at positions corresponding to thepositions of the second positioning projections 19 and 19), with theguide hole 28 being interposed therebetween.

<6. Description of Fundamental Operation Until Staple-Refill is Mountedin Cartridge>

To accommodate the stacked sheet-type connected staples 10 in thestaple-refill 11, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the laminated sheet-typeconnected staples 10 are accommodated in the casing 12, in the state inwhich the casing is not attached by the cover member 15. After that, inthe casing 12, one guide boss 22 of the cover member 15 is inserted intoone horizontal guide portion 21 b from the inside, and the other guideboss 22 is inserted into the other horizontal guide portion 21 b, withsitting on the joint portion 21 c. Also, by engaging the guide boss 27to the guide hole 28, the cover member 15 is provided on the stackedsheet-type connected staple 10 accommodated in the staple accommodatingportion 13. In this instance, the front surface 12 a of the casing 12 isprovided with the notch portion 18. Accordingly, in the casing 12, thestaple inserting port 14 of one pair of opposite lateral surfaces 12 band 12 c is bent in a direction to enlarge the width thereof, therebyeasily inserting the sheet-type connected staples 10 or attaching thecover member 15.

As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12, the staple-refill 11 is configured toprevent the lowermost sheet-type connected staple 10 from falling offvia the staple discharging port 16 at the position in which the bossportion 17 c of the fall-out preventing piece 17 is overlapped with thestaple discharging port 16. When the staple-refill 11 is mounted in thecartridge 61, the fall-out preventing piece 17 is pivoted around thehinge 17 b, so that the boss portion 17 c is retracted through thestaple discharging port 16. In this way, the sheet-type connected staple10 can be discharged through the staple discharging port 16.

As described above, the staple-refill 11 loaded with the maximum amountof the sheet-type connected staples 10 is inserted into the refillaccommodating portion 63 through the refill inserting port 64 of thecartridge 61, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, in the state in which thefront surface 12 a functions as the insertion surface. Then, asillustrated in FIGS. 29 and 30, the push lever 66 pivotally biased inthe direction of the arrow C in FIG. 30 enters through the notch portion18 of the front surface 12 a of the casing 12, of which the pushingportion 70 of the leading end portion is the insertion surface, and sitson the cover member 15. The pushing portion 70 of the push lever 66which comes into contact with the cover member 15 is guided by the guidewalls 32 and 32, and, if the sheet-type connected staples 10 aredecreased, as illustrated in FIG. 42, is engaged with the engagingportion 31 of the concave shape. In this way, the push lever 66 reliablypushes the sheet-type connected staples 10 stacked in the stapleaccommodating portion 13 via the cover member 15. Further, thestaple-refill 11 is prevented from falling off from the refillaccommodating portion 63 by engagement of the pushing portion, whichcomes into contact with the cover member 15, with the engaging portion31 of the concave shape.

When the staple-refill 11 is accommodated in the refill accommodatingportion 63 of the cartridge 61, as illustrated in FIGS. 33 to 35, theguide bosses 22 and 22 of the cover member 15 are engaged with thepick-up portions 73 a and 73 a. As the staple-refill 11 is accommodatedin the refill accommodating portion 63, the guide bosses 22 and 22 ofthe cover member 15 pushed by the push lever 66 in the direction of thearrow C in FIG. 33 are lifted by the inclined surface of the pick-upportions 73 a and 73 a. If the staple-refill 11 is completelyaccommodated in the refill accommodating portion 63, as illustrated inFIG. 34, the guide bosses 22 and 22 reach the separation restrictingportions 73 b and 73 b. In this instance, the cover member 15 isslightly moved down by the push lever 66 which is resiliently biased inthe direction of the arrow C in FIG. 34, and then is pushed against theuppermost layer of the sheet-type connected staples 10 to generate theclick feeling, so that it can notify the user of that the staple-refill11 is reliably mounted in the cartridge 61.

In use, the guide bosses 22 and 22 move gradually the separationrestricting portions 73 b and 73 b as the sheet-type connected staples10 are decreased. If the sheet-type connected staples 10 of thestaple-refill 11 are completely consumed, the boss portions 23, 23, 23and 23 formed on the rear surface of the cover member 15 are engagedwith the escape portions 24, 24, 24 and 24 formed at four corners of thebottom surface 12 e of the casing 12. The height position of the guidebosses 22 and 22 is placed below the disengaging portions 73 c and 73 c.In this way, the guide bosses 22 and 22 pass below the disengagingportions 73 c and 73 c, so that the staple-refill 11 can be separatedfrom the refill accommodating portion 63.

When the staple-refill is pulled out from the refill accommodatingportion 63, the push portion 70 which is in contact with the covermember 15 is guided by the guide walls 32 and 32, and the push lever 66is released from the staple-refill 11 via the notch portion 18. Also,the staple-refill 11 can be easily pulled out from the cartridge 61 bygripping the handle portions 20 and 20 with the finger or the like.Since the release of the push lever 66 is automatically performed duringpull-out operation of the staple-refill 11, the releasing operation ofthe push lever 66 or the like is not necessary, thereby achieving theimprovement in operability.

When the staple-refill 11 is mounted in the cartridge 61, as illustratedin FIGS. 39 and 40, the positioning convex portion 89 of the stapleguide plate 75 b is fitted into the positioning concave portion 26formed on the bottom surface 12 e of the casing 12. The positioningmechanism 88 of the staple-refill 11 configured as described aboveperforms the positioning of the sheet-type connected staples 10 in thewidth direction of the staple-refill, that is, the positioning convexportion 89 performs the positioning of the sheet-type connected staples10 in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction.

As described above, the cartridge 61 incorporated with the staple-refill11 is inserted and mounted in the magazine 101 at the side of thestapling-machine main-body, in which the front surface 62 e formed withthe striking section 65 functions as the insertion surface. Asillustrated in FIGS. 36 to 38 and 41, the mounting levers 104 and 104 ofthe magazine 101 push down the second positioning projections 19 and 19of the triangular shape from the upper side to press the cartridge 61towards the bottom surface and the front surface of the magazine 101 viathe staple-refill 11. Also, the staple-refill 11 mounted in thecartridge 61 is pushed by the pushed portions 29 and 29 of the rearsurface 12 d of the staple-refill which faces outward from the rearsurface 62 d of the cartridge 61 by the pushing portions 102 and 102 ofthe magazine 101.

And then, as illustrated in FIGS. 37, 38 and 41, both lateral portions16 a and 16 a of the staple discharging port 16 of the casing 12 abutagainst both first abutting portions 91 and 91 of the staple guidesection 75 which is fixed to the cartridge body 62 and the base platemember 74, and then are in close contact with the first abuttingportions. Also, the second abutting portions 92 and 92 of the faceportion 79 a of the faceplate 79 of the staple guide section 75 abutagainst the inner surface of the face portion 79 a of the faceplate 79,and the outer surface of the face portion 79 a which is opposite to theinner surface abutting against the second abutting portions 92 and 92abuts against the mounting reference portions 103 and 103 of themagazine 101. Accordingly, in the magazine 101, the staple-refill 11abuts against the mounting reference portions 103 and 103 via the stapleguide section 75 and the faceplate 79, so that the staple-refill isaccurately positioned. Also, since the casing 12 is in close contactwith the staple guide section 75, so that the staple guide section 75 isbrought into contact with the faceplate 79 to stably maintain thedimension of the gap through which the staple passes.

As illustrated in FIGS. 37 and 38, the sheet-type connected staple 10 issent to the passage corresponding to the thickness and the width of thesheet-type connected staple 10 between the staple guide cover 75 a andthe staple guide plate 75 b which configure the striking section 65,through the staple discharge port 16. In order to staple the paper to bebound, the forming plate 80 a first enters between the faceplate 79 andthe staple guide plate 75 b from the upper side of the striking section65, and then forms the straight staple, which is positioned at theleading end portion of the lowermost sheet-type connected staples 10 inthe staple accommodating portion 13 of the staple-refill 11, in theU-shape by the anvil 76. And then, the driver plate 80 b enters betweenfaceplate 79 and the staple guide plate 75 b from the upper side of thestriking section 65 to strike the staple 10 a bent in the U-shape in thedirection of the arrow X in FIG. 38.

If the staple is struck, only one lowermost sheet-type connected staple10 in the staple-refill 11 is sent. Specifically, in the transfermechanism 81, the inclined portion 84 a of the transfer plate 84 ispressed by the driver plate 80 b entering the gap between the faceportion 79 a of the faceplate 79 and the pusher 77. Then, the guidemember 83 is moved in the direction opposite to the direction of thearrow E in FIG. 38, with being against the biasing force of the coilspring 87. In this way, the transfer claw 85 of the guide member 83moves one straight staple of the lowermost sheet-type connected staple10 in the staple-refill 11 in the direction opposite to the direction ofthe arrow E, and then is engaged with a next fine concave portion fromthe fine concave portion between the straight staples engaged until now.After that, the guide member 83 is returned to its original position bythe biasing force of the coil spring 87, that is, is moved in thedirection of the arrow E in FIG. 38. In this instance, the transfer claw85 of the guide member 83 sends out one straight staple 1 toward thestriking section 65.

In the magazine 101, the staple-refill 11 abuts against the mountingreference portions 103 and 103 via the staple guide section 75 and thefaceplate 79 to perform the positioning thereof. In this way, thepositioning of the staple-refill 11 to the mounting reference portions103 and 103 can improve the accuracy in transfer of the sheet-typeconnected staple 10 to the striking section 65 by the fact that themembers effecting to the function of transferring the sheet-typeconnected staple 10 to the striking section 65 are the minimum necessarymembers, such as the staple-refill 11, the staple guide section 75, thefaceplate 79 and the mounting reference portions 103 and 103. As aresult, it is possible to shorten the stroke of the guide member 83 orthe transfer plate 84 of the transfer mechanism 81, thereby achievingthe miniaturization of the cartridge 61.

<7. Description of Modification of Staple-Refill (FIGS. 54 to 63)> <7-1.Description of Modification of Notch Portion of Casing>

The above-described staple-refill 11 may be configured as follows, likeFIG. 54. In the example in FIG. 54, the cover member 15 is not formed inthe substantially rectangular shape, but is formed is a substantiallyH-shape when seen from its front side. The cover member 15 has avertical portion 34 a extending in the longitudinal direction at thesubstantially center of the staple inserting port 12 in the widthdirection thereof, and horizontal portions 34 b and 34 b extending inthe width direction of the staple inserting port 12, as illustrated inFIGS. 54(A) and 54(B). The horizontal portion 34 b positioned at theside of the front surface 12 a of the casing 12 is provided at its bothends with the guide bosses 22 and 22 which are engaged with the guideholes 21 and 21 of the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c. Also, thehorizontal portion 34 b positioned at the side of the rear surface 12 dof the casing 12 is provided at its center portion with the guide boss27 which is engaged with the guide hole 28 of the rear surface 12 d,like the casing 12, as illustrated in FIG. 13. Moreover, although notillustrated, each distal portion of the horizontal portions 34 b and 34b is provided with the boss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23 which are engagedwith the escape portions 24, 24, 24 and 24 formed on the bottom surface12 e of the casing 12. As described above, the cover member 15illustrated in FIG. 54 is miniaturized, relative to the substantiallyrectangular cover member 15, and can press uniformly the overalluppermost layer of the sheet-type connected staples 10 accommodated inthe staple accommodating portion 13 of the casing 12.

As illustrated in FIGS. 55(A) and 55(B), in the staple-refill 11, theopposite lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing may be providedwith a groove having a bottom at the portion corresponding to the guideholes 21 and 21, instead of being provided with the through-hole.

As illustrated in FIGS. 56(A) and 56(B), the notch portion 18 of thestaple-refill 11 is not formed on the front surface 12 a of the casing12, as illustrated in FIG. 10, but may be formed on the lateral surfaces12 b and 12 c in the shape of a slit along the insertion direction ofthe sheet-type connected staple 10, that is, parallel to the verticalguide portion 21 a of the guide hole 21 which guides the cover member15. Herein, the notches 18 and 18 are formed on the lateral surfaces 12b and 12 c at the side of the front surfaces 12 a, but may be formed atthe side of the rear surface 12 d. The notches 18 and 18 also open theend portion of the staple inserting port 14. In this way, thestaple-refill 11 illustrated in FIG. 56 can be bent in a directionspaced apart from the front surface 12 a and the rear surface 12 d ofthe casing 12, and the opposite lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c can bebent outward at the side of the rear surface 12 d rather than the notchportions 18 and 18. Accordingly, in the staple-refill 11 illustrated inFIG. 56, the staple inserting port 14 can be enlarged, thereby easilyperforming the inserting operation of the sheet-type connected staple 10or the attaching operation of the cover member 15. Also, in order tobend the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c, it is not necessary to reducethe thickness of the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c, thereby preventingdeterioration in moldability of components. Meanwhile, it is preferablethat the notch portion 18 parallel to the vertical guide portion 21 a ofthe guide hole 21 is formed on at least any one of the lateral surfaces12 b and 12 c.

As illustrated in FIG. 57, the staple-refill 11 may be provided with acheck claw 22 a and a check groove 22 b. Specifically, the oppositelateral end faces 15 a and 15 a of the cover member 15 are provided withthe check claws 22 a and 22 a. In contrast, in the staple-refill 11, theinner surfaces of the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing 12are provided with the check claws 22 b and 22 b, which are locked to thecheck claws 22 a and 22 a, along the insertion direction of thesheet-type connected staple 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent thecover member from falling from the casing 12 when the staple-refill 11is replaced or the like.

As illustrated in FIGS. 58(A) and 58(B), in the staple-refill 11, eventhough the guide holes 21 and 21 formed in the opposite lateral surfaces12 b and 12 c of the casing 12 are not provided on the front surface 12a of the casing 12, but is provided on the rear surface 12 d, the sameworking effect as the case where it is formed on the front surface 12 acan be obtained. Also, even though the notch portion 18 is not formed onthe front surface 12 a of the casing 12, but is formed on the rearsurface 12 d, the same working effect as the case where it is formed onthe front surface 12 a can be obtained. In this example, since the rearsurface 12 d is provided with the notch portion 18, the guide hole 28 isformed on the front surface 12 a, and the guide boss 27 of the covermember 15 which is engaged with the guide hole 28 is also formed on thefront-side end face.

The notch portion 18 may be formed on the front surface 12 a of thecasing 12, as illustrated in FIG. 10 or the like, and may be formed onthe rear surface 12 d of the casing 12, as illustrated in FIG. 58. Thenotch portion 18 formed on the front surface 12 a or the rear surface 12d of the casing 12 may be formed in the substantially rectangular shape,as illustrated in FIGS. 10, 58 or the like. Otherwise, as illustrated inFIG. 59(A), the notch portion 18 may be generally formed in thesubstantially rectangular shape, but both corners thereof at the side ofthe bottom surface 12 e may be formed in an arc shape. As illustrated inFIG. 59(B), the notch portion 18 may be formed in a reverse trapezoidalshape of which a width of the sides at the bottom surface 12 e isnarrow. In this instance, when the push lever 66 passes, in particular,the push lever enters above the cover member 15, both inclined lateraledges function as a guide portion of the push lever 66. Also, asillustrated in FIG. 59(C), the notch portion 18 may have a slit 18 a ofa height direction formed at the substantial center of the front surface12 a or the rear surface 12 d in the width direction thereof, and acircular portion 18 b formed at the side of the leading end portion ofthe bottom surface 12 e. Also, as illustrated in FIG. 59(D), the notchportion 18 may be generally formed in the substantially rectangularshape, but the portion at the side of the bottom surface 12 e may beformed to have the wide width. Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 59(E),the notch portion 18 may be formed to have an arc-shaped end portion atthe side of the bottom surface 12 e. In this way, even though the notchportion 18 is formed in the same shape as that in FIGS. 59(A) to 59(E),the opposite lateral sides 12 b and 12 c at the side of the stapleinserting port 14 can be bent outward, thereby easily performing theinserting operation of the sheet-type connected staple 10 or theattaching operation of the cover member 15. Also, in order to bend thelateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c, it is not necessary to reduce thethickness of the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c, thereby preventingdeterioration in moldability of components.

Meanwhile, the staple-refill may be configured as illustrated in FIGS.52 and 53.

The staple-refill 11 illustrated in FIGS. 52 and 53 is configured sothat the casing 12 at the side of the front surface 12 a is notched fromthe front surface 12 a to the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c at the sideof the front surface 12 a. Also, the staple-refill 11 is configured sothat the fall-out preventing piece 17 is left immediately above thestaple discharge port 16 at the front surface 12 a of the casing 12. Inthis notch, the portion in which the front surface 12 a of the casing 12is largely notched functions as the notch portion 18. Also, the heightof a front wall 12 g configuring the front surface 12 a of the casingwhich is provided with the fall-out preventing piece 17 is substantiallyequal to or higher than the uppermost layer of the stacked sheet-typeconnected staples 10, in the state the maximum amount of the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 is loaded, so that the sheet-type connected staples10 accommodated in the staple accommodating portion 13 are preventedfrom falling from the notch portion 18.

<7-2. Description of Positioning when Staple-Refill is Mounted inMounting Object Such as Package>

As illustrated in FIG. 60, in the staple-refill 11, the guide bosses 22and 22 of the cover member 15 can be used as the positioning projectionwhen the fill is mounted in the mounting object 111 such as a package.Specifically, the mounting object 111 includes a receiving portion 112of a concave portion for receiving the staple-refill 11, and lateralpositioning concave portions 113 and 113 formed by stepped portions atpositions opposite to the guide bosses 22 and 22 protruding more thanthe lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing. When the staple-refill11 is transferring, the staple-refill is before use and is in the statein which the maximum amount of the sheet-type connected staples 10 areloaded therein. The guide bosses 22 and 22 are positioned above thevertical guide portions 21 a and 21 a of the guide holes 21 and 21.

The lateral positioning concave portions 113 and 113 are formed by thestepped portions protruding inward at the positions corresponding to thepositions of the guide bosses 22 and 22 in the state in which themaximum amount of the sheet-type connected staples 10 are loaded in thestaple-refill 11. Also, the receiving portion 112 of the mounting object111 is provided with the rear-surface positioning concave portions 114,which are engaged with the pair of second positioning projections 19 and19 protruding in a triangular shape from the rear surface 12 d of thecasing 12, formed by a stepped portion at the lower side of the rearsurface of the receiving portion 112.

In general, since the package which is the mounting object 111 is amolded product of plastic or pulp, or a cardboard or foamed resin box,it is likely to be deformed.

As illustrated in FIGS. 61(A) and 61(B), the staple-refill 11 isinserted in the receiving portion 112 of the mounting object 111, in thestate in which the bottom surface 12 e of the casing 12 functions as theinsertion surface. If the staple-refill is received in the receivingportion 112, the guide bosses 22 and 22 at the side of the staple-refill11 are engaged with the lateral positioning concave portions 113 and 113beyond the stepped portion protruding inward from the receiving portion112. Moreover, the second positioning projections 19 and 19 are engagedwith the rear-surface positioning concave portions 114 beyond thestepped portion protruding inward from the receiving portion 112. Inthis way, as the staple-refill 11 is positioned in the receiving portion112, the staple-refill 11 is received in the mounting object 111 in astate in which fall is further prevented. The received staple-refill 11is supported from the lower side by one or plural bottom-surface supportportions 115 protruding from the bottom surface of the receiving portion122, as illustrated in FIG. 61(B), and the guide bosses 22 and 22 andthe second positioning projections 19 and 19 are reliably engaged withthe positioning concave portions 113 and 114 by the resilience of thebottom surface support portion 115.

In the example illustrated in FIGS. 60 and 61, the rear-surfacepositioning concave portions 114 formed on the receiving portion 112 ofthe mounting object 111 are engaged with the pair of second positioningprojections 19 and 19 protruding in the triangular shape from the rearsurface 12 d of the casing 12, but, alternatively, the positioning ofthe rear surface may be performed by using the guide boss 27 of therear-side end face 15 b of the cover member 15 protruding more than therear surface 12 d of the casing 12. That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 62,63(A) and 64(B), the receiving portion 112 of the mounting object 111 isprovided with the rear-surface positioning concave portion 114 at theposition opposite to the guide boss 27, which protrudes more than therear surface 12 d of the casing, by the stepped portion. The steppedportion of the rear-surface positioning concave portion 114 protrudesinward at the position corresponding to the position of the guide boss27 when the maximum amount of the sheet-type connected staples 10 areloaded in the staple-refill 11.

The staple-refill 11 is inserted in the receiving portion 112 of themounting object 111, in the state in which the bottom surface 12 e ofthe casing 12 functions as the insertion surface. If the staple-refillis received in the receiving portion 112, the guide bosses 22 and 22 atthe side of the staple-refill 11 are engaged with the lateralpositioning concave portions 113 and 113 beyond the stepped portionprotruding inward from the receiving portion 112, and the guide boss 27is engaged with the rear-surface positioning concave portions 114 beyondthe stepped portion protruding inward from the receiving portion 112. Inthis way, as the staple-refill 11 is positioned in the receiving portion112, the staple-refill 11 is received in the mounting object 111 in astate in which fall is further prevented. The received staple-refill 11is supported from the lower side by one or plural bottom-surface supportportions 115 protruding from the bottom surface of the receiving portion122, as illustrated in FIG. 63(B), and the guide bosses 22 and 22 andthe guide boss 27 are reliably engaged with the positioning concaveportions 113 and 114 by the resilience of the bottom surface supportportion 115.

The examples in FIGS. 60 to 63 have been described in the case where themounting object 111 is the package, the concept of the positioningconcave portions 113 and 114 may be applied to the cartridge 61 or themagazine 101 in which the cartridge 61 is mounted. Also, in the casewhere the mounting object 111 is the package, the bottom surface of themounting object 111 may be provided with a cushion material such as anelastic body to absorb vibration at the transfer and thereby to protectthe staple-refill 11.

<8. Description of Mounting Object (FIGS. 64 to 68)>

The mounting object may be configured as illustrated in FIGS. 64 and 65.That is, a mounting object 121 illustrated in FIGS. 64 and 65 isprovided with the receiving portion 122 of a concave portion forreceiving the staple-refill 11. The front surface 12 a of the casing 12of the staple-refill 11 is provided with the projection 17 d having thefall-out preventing piece 17 for preventing the sheet-type connectedstaples 10 from falling out from the staple discharging port 16, asillustrated in FIG. 10 or the like. The projection 17 d functions as thefirst positioning projection. The receiving portion 122 is provided witha first positioning concave portion 123, which is engaged with theprojection 17 d, on the front surface 122 a opposite to the frontsurface 12 a of the casing 12 of the staple-refill 11. The firstpositioning concave portion 123 is formed by a stepped portionprotruding inward more than the front surface 122 a of the receivingportion 122.

The rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 is provided with the pair ofsecond positioning projections 19 and 19, as illustrated in FIG. 11 orthe like. As illustrated in FIGS. 64 and 65, a rear surface 122 b of thereceiving portion 122 is provided with a positioning member 124 which isengaged with at least one of the pair of second positioning projections19 and 19 to position the rear surface 12 d of the casing 12. Thepositioning member 124 is engaged with the pair of second positioningprojections 19 and 19. Although being not described in detail, thepositioning member 124 is provided to move forward and backward in thereceiving portion 122, and is guided by a guide member, which is knownin the art, so that the positioning member is engaged with the pair ofsecond positioning projections 19 and 19. The positioning member 124 isprovided at the rear surface 122 b, and always protrudes in thereceiving portion 122 by a coil spring 125 functioning as a biasingmember. Also, the positioning member 124 is configured so that anoperation portion 124 a faces outward through an operation hole 124 b ofthe mounting object 121. If the staple-refill 11 is inserted, thepositioning member 124 is pressed by the second positioning projections19 and 19, and then is first retracted from the receiving portion 122.After that, the positioning member 124 again protrudes in the receivingportion 122 by the resilient force of the coil spring 125, and then isengaged with the second positioning projections 19 and 19.

When the staple-refill 11 is pulled out from the receiving portion 122,the positioning member 124 is retracted from the receiving portion 122by sliding the coil spring 125 in a direction to contract the coilspring 125 through the operation portion 124 a, thereby releasing thestate in which the positioning member is engaged from the secondpositioning projection portions 19 and 19. In the mounting object 111,three members, that is, the projection 17 d functioning as the firstpositioning projection and the second positioning projections 19 and 19functioning as the second positioning projection can be reliablyreceived in the fall-out prevention state by engaging the firstpositioning concave portion 123 and the positioning member 124.

In the mounting object 121, the lateral surfaces 122 c and 122 d of thereceiving portion 122 are provided with positioning concave portions 126and 126, which are continuous with the rear surface 122 b, formed alonga depth direction of the receiving portion 122. The positioning concaveportions 126 and 126 are engaged with the handle portions 20 and 20,which are formed to be continuous with the rear surface 122 b of thecasing 12 and function as the third positioning projection, to guide theinsertion of the staple-refill 11 to be inserted and perform thepositioning of the staple-refill 11. Also, the lateral surfaces 122 cand 122 d of the receiving portion 122 are provided with positioningconcave portions 127 and 127 at positions opposite to the guide bosses22 and 22 protruding more than the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of thecasing. As described above, the guide bosses 22 and 22 function as thefourth positioning projection, and are engaged with the positioningconcave portions 127 and 127 to guide the insertion of the staple-refill11 to be inserted and perform the positioning of the staple-refill 11.

FIGS. 66 to 68 illustrate a modification of the mounting object 121. Themounting object 131 is provided with a receiving portion 132 of aconcave shape to receive the staple-refill 11. The receiving portion 132is provided with a first positioning concave portion 133 on the frontsurface 132 a opposite to front surface 12 a of the casing 12 of thestaple-refill 11, and the first positioning concave portion 133 isengaged with the projection 17 d functioning as the first projection,and protrudes inward more than the front surface 132 a of the receivingportion 132.

The rear surface 132 b of the receiving portion 132 is provided with asecond positioning concave portion 134 which is engaged with at leastone of the pair of second positioning projections 19 and 19 formed onthe rear surface 12 d of the casing 12 to position the rear surface 12 dof the casing 12. The positioning concave portion 134 is formed by thestepped portion protruding inward more than the rear surface 132 b ofthe receiving portion 132. As illustrated in FIG. 68, the receivedstaple-refill 11 is supported from the lower side by one or pluralbottom-surface support portions 137 protruding from the bottom surfaceof the receiving portion 132, and the projection 17 d and the secondpositioning projections 19 and 19 are reliably engaged with thepositioning concave portions 133 and 134 by the resilience of the bottomsurface support portion 137 to prevent rattling. In the mounting object131, three members, that is, the projection 17 d functioning as thefirst positioning projection and the second positioning projections 19and 19 functioning as the second positioning projection can be reliablyreceived in the fall-out prevention state by engaging the firstpositioning concave portion 133 and the positioning member 134.

The lateral surfaces 132 c and 132 d of the receiving portion 132 areprovided with third positioning concave portions 135 and 135, which arecontinuous with the rear surface 122 b, formed along a depth directionof the receiving portion 132. The third positioning concave portions 135and 135 are engaged with the handle portions 20 and 20, which are formedto be continuous with the rear surface 12 b of the casing 12 andfunction as the third positioning projection, to guide the insertion ofthe staple-refill 11 to be inserted and perform the positioning of thestaple-refill 11.

Also, the lateral surfaces 132 c and 132 d of the receiving portion 132are provided with positioning concave portions 136 and 136 at positionsopposite to the guide holes 21 and 21 having bosses 22 and 22 protrudingmore than the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing whichfunction as the fourth positioning projection.

The joint portions 21 c and 21 c of the guide holes 21 and 21 are formedto slightly protrude outward, and the fourth positioning concaveportions 136 and 136 are formed to escape the protruding portions of thejoint portions 21 c and 21 c or the protruding portions of the guidebosses 22 and 22. The fourth positioning concave portions 136 and 136are engaged with the joint portions 21 c and 21 c to guide the insertionof the staple-refill 11 to be inserted and perform the positioning ofthe staple-refill 11.

The fourth positioning concave portions 136 and 136 may include the sameconfiguration as that of the positioning concave portions 127 and 127for escaping the guide bosses 22 and 22, as illustrated in FIGS. 64 and65. Also, in the case where the mounting objects 121 and 131 are thepackage, the bottom surface of the mounting objects 121 and 131 may beprovided with a cushion material such as an elastic body to absorbvibration at the transfer and thereby to prevent rattling of thestaple-refill 11.

<9. Description of Modification of Push Lever (FIGS. 69 to 78)> <9-1.First Description of Modification of Push Lever and Notch Portion>

In the staple-refill 11 illustrated in FIGS. 69 to 71, the notch portion18 formed in the front surface 12 a of the casing 12 is formed in areverse trapezoidal shape. Specifically, the notch portion 18 has anarrow width of its sides at the bottom surface 12 e, and taperedportions 18 c and 18 c formed at both lateral edge portions. In thisway, when the staple-refill 11 moves into or out of the cartridge 61,the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 can easily pass through thenotch portion 18. The tapered portions 18 c and 18 c may be a straighttaper or an arc-shaped taper.

The push lever 66 has taper portions 70 a and 70 a formed at both cornerportions of the push portion 70. When the staple-refill 11 moves into orout of the cartridge 61, an insertion end of the push portion to thenotch portion 18 is formed with the taper portions 70 a and 70 a, thepush portion functions as a guide portion when the casing 12 moves abovethe cover member 15 or moves out of the cover member. The taperedportions 70 a and 70 a may be a straight taper or an arc-shaped taper.

As described above, in the example in FIGS. 69 to 71, the front surface12 a of the casing 12 is provided with the tapered portions 18 c and 18c, and/or the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 is provided with thetapered portions 70 a and 70 a. Accordingly, when the staple-refill 11is inserted into the cartridge 61, the push portion 70 of the push lever66 can smoothly enter the position above the cover member 15 in thecasing 12, without being caught by both opposite lateral edges of thenotch portion 18. Also, when the staple-refill 11 is pulled out from thecartridge 61, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 can pass throughthe notch portion 18 from the position above the cover member 15 in thecasing 12.

In the example in FIGS. 69 to 71, although the push lever 66 pushes thecover member 15 down, the push lever 66 may directly push the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 in the staple accommodating portion 13 by use ofthe push portion 70, as described above, without providing the covermember 15. That is, in the case where the cover member 15 is notprovided, the notch portion 18 may be provided with the tapered portions18 c and 18 c, and the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 may beprovided with the tapered portions 70 a and 70 a.

<9-2. Second Description of Modification of Push Lever and NotchPortion>

Although the above example has been described in which the stackedsheet-type connected staples 10 in the staple-refill 11 is pushed by thepush lever 66 of the cartridge 61 via the cover member 15, thestaple-refill 11 may not be provided with the cover member 15. Asillustrated in FIG. 72, since the cover member 15 is provided in thestaple accommodating portion 13, the staple-refill 11 described hereinis configured so that the uppermost layer of the stacked sheet-typeconnected staples 10 is directly exposed through the staple insertingport 14. If the staple-refill 11 is inserted into the refillaccommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61, as illustrated in FIG. 73,the push lever 66 enters the staple accommodating portion 13 through thenotch portion 18 formed on the front portion 12 a of the casing 12. Inthis instance, the push lever 70 of the push lever 66 goes over thefront wall of the front surface 12 a below the notch portion 18, andthen moves above the staked sheet-type connected staples 10 in thestaple accommodating portion 13.

As illustrated in FIG. 74, when the sheet-type connected staples 10 ofthe staple-refill 11 are completely consumed, the push lever 70 of thepush lever 66 comes into contact with the bottom surface 12 e of thestaple accommodating portion 13. When the staple-refill 11 is pulled outfrom the cartridge 61, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 movesout from the inside of the staple accommodating portion 13. In thisinstance, the push lever 70 moves over the front wall of the frontsurface 12 a below the notch portion 18. In this way, in the case wherethe staple-refill 11 with no cover member 15 is mounted in the cartridge61, the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the staple accommodatingportion 13 are pressed against the bottom surface 12 e, so that thesheet-type connected staples 10 can be sent to the striking section 65of the cartridge 61.

As illustrated in FIG. 75, in the staple-refill 11 with no cover member15, the front wall of the front surface 12 a below the notch portion 18may be lower than the example in FIG. 72. In this instance, when thestaple-refill 11 is accommodated in the refill accommodating port 63 ofthe cartridge 61, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 does notcollide against the front wall of the front surface 12 a below the notchportion 18, but moves over the uppermost layer of the sheet-typeconnected staples 10, without coming into contact with the stackedsheet-type connected staples 10 in the staple accommodating portion 13of the casing 12. Also, when the sheet-type connected staples 10 arecompletely consumed and thus the empty staple-refill 11 is pulled outfrom the refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61, the frontwall of the front surface 12 a below the notch portion 18 is low, sothat a height difference between the bottom surface 12 e and the frontwall is small. Accordingly, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 cansmoothly move over the front wall of the front surface 12 a below thenotch portion 18, thereby lessening the operation force when thestaple-refill 11 is pulled out from the cartridge 61.

As illustrated in FIG. 76, the front surface 12 a of the casing 12 isnot provided with the notch portion 18, for example, the front surface12 a of the staple-refill 11 may be provided with a thin portion 37.When the staple-refill 11 is accommodated in the refill accommodatingport 63, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 breaks the thinportion 37 to penetrate the front surface 12 a of the casing 12 andthereby to form the notch portion 18. The push portion moves over theuppermost layer of the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the stapleaccommodating portion 13. Also, when the staple-refill 11 isaccommodated in the refill accommodating port 63, the push lever maymove over the front wall of the front surface 12 a. Alternatively, whenthe staple-refill is pulled out, the push portion may penetrate thefront wall of the front surface 12 a. Moreover, when the push portionpenetrates the front surface 12 a of the casing 12, as illustrated inFIGS. 77, 78(A) and 78(B), the front surface 12 a of the casing may beprovided with a hinge portion 18 e which formed by the straight thinportion along the width direction. In the case where the front surface12 a of the casing 12 is provided with the hinge portion 18 e, the pushportion 70 of the push lever 66 moves over a punched piece 18 fsupported by the stacked sheet-type connected staples 10, when thestaple-refill 11 is inserted into the refill accommodating port 63 ofthe cartridge 61. Also, when the staple-refill 11 is pulled out from therefill accommodating port 63, the punched piece 18 f can be bent outwardfrom the staple accommodating portion 13 via the hinge portion 18 e.Meanwhile, the above-described example illustrated in FIGS. 76 and 77may be configured to have the cover member 15. Also, in the exampleillustrated in FIGS. 76 and 77, the notch portion 18 may be formed onthe tapered portions 18 c and 18 c, or the push portion 70 of the pushlever 66 may be provided with the tapered portions 70 a and 70 a. Inthis way, the push lever 70 of the push lever 66 can easily pass thenotch portion 18.

<10. Description of Modification of Guide of Push Lever (FIGS. 79 and91)>

As illustrated in FIGS. 79 and 80, when the staple-refill 11 isaccommodated in the refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61,the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 which enters the notch portion18 formed on the front surface 12 a of the casing 12 moves over thecover member 15 provided on the casing 12 of the staple-refill 11. Inthe cover member 15, as illustrated in FIGS. 8, 10, 11, 13 and 79, theguide walls 32 and 32 functioning as the guide portion of the pushportion 70 are spaced apart from each other by the approximately widthof the push portion 70 in the sliding direction of the push portion 70.Accordingly, when the maximum amount of the sheet-type connected staples10 are loaded in the staple accommodating portion 13, the push portion70 is not engaged with the concave-shaped engaging portion 31 of thecover member 15. But, as the staple accommodating portion 13 aredecreased, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the push portion 70 is guided bythe guide walls 32 and 32, and then are engaged with the concave-shapedengaging portion 31.

Even without providing the staple-refill 11 with the cover member 15,the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the casing 12 can be directlypushed by the push lever 70 of the push lever 66, as described above. Inthe example in FIG. 81, in the case where the staple-refill 11 is notprovided with the cover member 15, the sheet-type connected staples 10are loaded from the bottom surface of the staple-refill 11, a leverguide hole 33 is provided to penetrate the front surface 12 a and thetop surface 12 of the casing 12 along the center of the width directionthereof. The lever guide hole 33 is formed to have the substantiallywidth as that of the push portion 70 so as to guide the moving pushportion 70. In the lever guide hole 33, a portion corresponding to thefront surface 12 a of the casing 12 works as the notch portion 18. Asillustrated in FIG. 82, if the staple-refill 11 is accommodated in therefill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61, the push portion 70 ofthe push lever 66 of the cartridge 61 enters the lever guide hole 33from the side of the front surface 12 a, and then moves to the side of atop surface 12 f. As illustrated in FIG. 83, as the sheet-type connectedstaples 10 are decreased in the staple-refill 11, the push lever 66 isguided to the side of the top surface 12 f of the lever guide hole 33,while pushing down the uppermost layer of the sheet-type connectedstaples 10. In this way, the push portion 70 can reliably push down thesheet-type connected staples 10. Also, when the staple-refill 11 ispulled out from the refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61,the push portion 70 can be retracted from the front surface 12 a of thecasing 12, while being guided by the lever guide hole 33.

For the guide portion of the push portion 70 of the push lever 66, asillustrated in FIG. 84, the top surface of the cover member 15 may beprovided with a ridge-shaped guide rail 35 at the center of the widthdirection thereof, in the case of the staple-refill 11 having the covermember 15. In this instance, as illustrated in FIG. 85, the push portion70 is provided with a guide groove 36 which is engaged with the guiderail 35. If the staple-refill 11 is accommodated in the refillaccommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61, the push portion 70 of thepush lever 66 of the cartridge 61 moves over the cover member 15 in thestaple accommodating portion 13 through the notch portion 18 formed onthe front surface 12 a of the casing 12. The guide rail 35 on the covermember 15 is engaged with the guide groove 36 of the push portion 70.The push portion 70 moves over the cover member 15 in the state in whichthe guide rail 35 is engaged with the guide groove 36, as illustrated inFIG. 86, as the sheet-type connected staples 10 are decreased in thestaple-refill 11. In this way, the push portion 70 can reliably push thesheet-type connected staples 10 down. Also, when the staple-refill 11 ispulled out from the refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61,the push portion 70 can be retracted from the front surface 12 a of thecasing 12, while being engaged with and guided by the guide groove 36.Accordingly, the staple-refill 11 can be easily pulled out from therefill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61.

As illustrated in FIG. 87, the guide portion of the push portion 70 ofthe push lever 66 may be provided on the leading end portion of the pushlever 66. That is, the push lever 66 is provided with a guide piece 66 ato extend its leading end portion. In this instance, the notch portion18 of the casing 12 of the staple-refill 11 is formed in a substantiallyrectangular shape, and the guide piece 66 a has a substantially width asthat of the notch portion so as to be engaged with the notch portion 18.Also, the guide piece 66 a is formed to have a length so that the pushlever 66 is always engaged with the notch portion from the state inwhich the maximum amount of the sheet-type connected staples 10 in thestaple-refill 11 is loaded in the staple-refill 11 to the state in whichthe sheet-type connected staples 10 are completely consumed (the statein which the cover member 15 is positioned at the lowest position).

As illustrated in FIG. 87, if the staple-refill 11 is accommodated inthe refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61, the push portion70 of the push lever 66 of the cartridge 61 moves over the cover member15 in the staple accommodating portion 13 through the notch portion 18of the casing 12. The guide piece 66 a provided on the leading endportion of the push lever 66 is engaged with the notch portion 18. Asillustrated in FIG. 88, if the sheet-type connected staples 10 aredecreased in the staple-refill 11, the push lever 66 is correspondinglypivoted in the direction of the arrow C in FIG. 88 by the resilientforce of the coil spring 71, and then is moved along the top surface ofthe cover member 15. In this instance, the guide piece 66 a of the pushlever 66 is continuously engaged with the notch portion 18 of the casing12. In this instance, the push portion 70 can be guided by the notchportion 18 to reliably push the sheet-type connected staples 10 down.Also, when the staple-refill is pulled out from the refill accommodatingport 63 of the cartridge 61, since the guide piece 66 a is engaged withthe notch portion 18, the push portion 70 can be smoothly retractedthrough the notch portion 18 formed on the front surface 12 a of thecasing 12. That is, the staple-refill 11 can be easily pulled out fromthe refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61.

Also, in an example in FIGS. 87 and 88, the staple-refill 11 may not beprovided with the cover member 15 in the refill accommodating port 63.In this instance, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 directlypushes down the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the refillaccommodating port 63. In this instance, since there is no cover member15, the staple-refill does not have the guide function like the guidewalls 32 and 32. However, since the guide piece 66 a of the push lever66 is engaged with the notch portion 18, the push lever 66 can bereliably guided.

According to the above-described examples illustrated in FIGS. 10, 42 orthe like, if the sheet-type connected staples 10 are decreased in thestaple-refill 11 or are completely consumed, the push portion 70 of thepush lever 66 is engaged with the concave-shaped engaging portion 31formed on the cover member 15 of the staple-refill 11, so that thestaple-refill 11 is not fallen out from the refill accommodating port 63of the cartridge 61. That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 89(A) and 89(B),the cover member 15 is provided with the concave portion 31 a on the topsurface thereof. Therefore, if the sheet-type connected staples 10 aredecreased in the staple-refill 11 or are completely consumed, the pushportion 70 of the push lever 66 is engaged with the concave portion 31a, so that the staple-refill 11 is not fallen out from the cartridge 61.Also, to prevent the staple-refill 11 being fallen out from thecartridge 61, as illustrated in FIGS. 90(A) and 90(B), the top surfaceof the cover member 15 may be provided with a stepped portion 31 bfunctioning as an engaging portion with the push portion 70 of the pushlever 66. The stepped portion 31 b is formed such that a portion at theside the notch portion 18 of the front surface 12 a of the casing 12 ishigh, and a portion at the opposite side is low. In this way, if thesheet-type connected staples 10 are decreased in the staple-refill 11 orare completely consumed, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 ismoved from the high side (the side of the notch portion) of the steppedportion 31 b to the low side, and thus is engaged with stepped portion31 b having a height difference. In this way, if the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 are decreased in the staple-refill 11 or arecompletely consumed, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 is engagedwith the concave-shaped engaging portion 31 formed on the cover member15 of the staple-refill 11, so that the staple-refill 11 is not fallenout from the refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61.

As illustrated in FIGS. 91(A) and 91(B), the push portion 70 of the pushlever 66 may be provided with a concave portion 31 c, and the topsurface of the cover member 15 may be provided with a boss portion 31 d.The concave portion 31 c is a corner portion of the push portion 70, andis formed on the contact portion of the push portion 70 when the pushportion 70 moves over the top surface of the cover member 15 through thenotch portion 18. In this instance, if the sheet-type connected staples10 are decreased in the staple-refill 11 or are completely consumed, thepush portion 70 is moved over the top surface of the cover member 15, sothat the boss portion 31 d of the cover member 15 is engaged with theconcave portion 31 c of the push portion 70. In this way, if thesheet-type connected staples 10 are decreased in the staple-refill 11 orare completely consumed, the push portion 70 of the push lever 66 isengaged with the concave-shaped engaging portion 31 formed on the covermember 15 of the staple-refill 11, so that the staple-refill 11 is notfallen out from the refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61.

<11. Description of Modification of Locking Mechanism of Staple-Refill(FIGS. 92 to 99)>

The locking mechanism 72 illustrated in FIGS. 32 to 35 prevents thestaple-refill 11 from falling out from the cartridge 61 by engaging theguide bosses 22 and 22 of the cover member 15 of the staple-refill 11with the engaging portions 73 and 73 formed on the inner surface of thelateral surfaces 62 b and 62 c of the cartridge 61. In particular, thelocking mechanism 72 is configured to prevent the staple-refill 11 frompulling out from the refill accommodating port 63 when the staple-refill11 is in the sheet-type connected staples 10, and also to pull out thestaple-refill 11 from the refill accommodating port 63 when thesheet-type connected staples 10 are completely consumed in thestaple-refill 11. In this way, the locking mechanism 72 prevents thesheet-type connected staples 10 sent to the striking section 65 and thesheet-type connected staples 10 in the staple-refill 11 from beingdivided, and prevents the staple-refill 11 from being remounted andfailed. The locking mechanism implementing the above functions may beconfigured as FIGS. 92 and 95.

<11-1. Description of First Modification of Locking Mechanism>

The locking mechanism 95 has resilient engaging pieces 96 and 96 formedon the inner surface of the lateral surfaces 62 b and 62 c of thecartridge body 62 which configures the cartridge 61, as an engagingportion engaged with the guide bosses 22 and 22 of the cover member 15protruding outward from the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of the casing12. The resilient engaging pieces 96 and 96 form a C-shaped slit 94, asillustrated in FIGS. 92 to 94, and the leading end portion isresiliently displaced in the direction of the arrow F in FIG. 70 toextend over the inside and outside of the refill accommodating port 63.As illustrated in FIG. 94, the resilient engaging pieces 96 and 96 areformed with an inclined surface at the side of the refill accommodatingport 63, and have pick-up portions 96 a and 96 a for picking up theguide bosses 22 and 22 of the staple-refill 11. Also, the resilientengaging pieces 96 and 96 have separation restricting portions 96 b and96 b formed, at a portion opposite to the pick-up portions 96 a and 96a, in parallel with the vertical guide portions 21 a and 21 a of theguide holes 21 and 21 of the staple-refill 11 to restrict separation ofthe staple-refill 11. The separation restricting portions 96 b and 96 bare formed by vertical walls so as not to be disengaged from the guidebosses 22 and 22. Also, the resilient engaging pieces 96 and 96 have alateral edge, which is parallel to the insertion direction of thestaple-refill 11 at the side of the top surface 62 a of the cartridgebody 62, of a height equal to or slightly higher than the height of theguide bosses 22 and 22 of the cover member 15 when the maximum amount ofthe sheet-type connected staples 10 is loaded in the staple-refill 11.Moreover, the height of the lateral edge which is parallel to theinsertion direction of the staple-refill 11 at the side of the baseplate member 74 of the cartridge body 62 is positioned at a positionhigher than the height of the guide bosses 22 and 22 when the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 are completely consumed in the staple-refill 11, sothat the bottom portions of the resilient engaging pieces 96 and 96function as disengaging portions 96 c and 96 c.

As illustrated in FIGS. 93 and 94, when the staple-refill 11 isaccommodated in the refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61through the refill inserting port 64, the guide bosses 22 and 22 of thecover member 15 first abut against the tapered surface of the pick-upportions 96 a and 96 a to resiliently displace the resilient engagingpieces 96 and 96 outward from the refill accommodating port 63.Continuously, the guide bosses 22 and 22 move over the pick-up portions96 a and 96 a, and are engaged with the vertical wall of the separationrestricting portions 96 b and 96 b of the resilient engaging pieces 96and 96 resiliently returned. In use, the guide bosses 22 and 22 movegradually the separation restricting portions 96 b and 96 b down as thesheet-type connected staples 10 are decreased. When the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 of the staple-refill 11 is completely consumed, asillustrated in FIG. 95, the boss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23 formed onthe rear surface of the cover member 15 are engaged with the escapeportions 24, 24, 24 and 24 formed at four corners of the bottom surface12 e of the casing 12 (see FIG. 15), so that the guide bosses 22 and 22are placed below the disengaging portions 96 c and 96 c lower than theseparation restricting portions 96 b and 96 b. In this way, thestaple-refill 11 can be separated from the refill accommodating port 63.

<11-2. Description of Second Modification of Locking Mechanism>

Although the above-described locking mechanism 95 is provided with theresilient engaging pieces 96 and 96 at the side of the cartridge 61, alocking mechanism 97 according to the second modification describedherein is provided with resilient engaging pieces 97 a and 97 a at theside of the staple-refill 11. That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 96 and97(B), the cover member 15 of the staple-refill 11 is provided with theresilient engaging pieces 97 a and 97 a which are formed integrally withthe guide bosses 22 and 22. The resilient engaging pieces 97 a and 97 aare formed in an L-shape, and are extended to be gradually spaced apartfrom the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c towards the rear surface 12 d ofthe casing 12 from the leading end portions of the guide bosses 22 and22 passing through the guide holes 21 and 21 of the lateral surfaces 12b and 12 c of the casing 12. The resilient engaging pieces 97 a and 97 aare resiliently displaced in the direction of the arrow G in FIG. 73(B)which are moved close to and apart from the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12c of the casing 12.

The resilient engaging pieces 97 a and 97 a are engaged with theengaging portions 98 and 98 formed on the inner surface of the lateralsurfaces 62 b and 62 c of the cartridge body 62, as illustrated in FIGS.97(A) and 97(B). The engaging portions 98 and 98 protrude inward ratherthan the lateral surfaces 62 b and 62 c are formed with an inclinedsurface at the side of the refill accommodating port 63, and havepick-up portions 98 a and 98 a for picking up the resilient engagingpieces 97 a and 97 a at the side of the staple-refill 11. The pick-upportions 98 a and 98 a have a height equal to or slightly higher thanthe height of the guide bosses 22 and 22 of the cover member 15 when themaximum amount of the sheet-type connected staples 10 is loaded in thestaple-refill 11. Also, the resilient engaging pieces 97 a and 97 a haveseparation restricting portions 98 b and 98 b formed, at a portionopposite to the pick-up portions 98 a and 98 a, in parallel with thevertical guide portions 21 a and 21 a of the guide holes 21 and 21 ofthe staple-refill 11 to restrict separation of the staple-refill 11. Theseparation restricting portions 98 b and 98 b are formed by verticalwalls so as not to be disengaged from the leading end portions of theresilient engaging pieces 97 a and 97 a.

Moreover, the height of the lateral edge which is parallel to theinsertion direction of the staple-refill 11 at the side of the baseplate member 74 of the cartridge body 62 is positioned at a positionhigher than the height of the guide bosses 22 and 22 when the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 are completely consumed in the staple-refill 11, sothat the bottom portions of the resilient engaging pieces 97 a and 97 afunction as disengaging portions 98 c and 98 c.

As illustrated in FIGS. 97(A) and 97(B), when the staple-refill 11 isaccommodated in the refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61through the refill inserting port 64, the resilient engaging pieces 97 aand 97 a of the guide bosses 22 and 22 of the cover member 15 first abutagainst the tapered surface of the pick-up portions 98 a and 98 a at theproximal end thereof to resiliently displace the resilient engagingpieces in a direction close to the lateral surfaces 12 b and 12 c of thecasing 12. As illustrated in FIGS. 98(A) and 98(B), the leading endportions at the rear surface 12 d move over the pick-up portions 98 aand 98 a, and are engaged with the vertical wall of the separationrestricting portions 98 b and 98 b. In use, the resilient engagingpieces 97 a and 97 a formed integrally with the guide bosses 22 and 22move gradually the separation restricting portions 98 b and 98 b down asthe sheet-type connected staples 10 are decreased. When the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 of the staple-refill 11 is completely consumed, asillustrated in FIG. 99, the boss portions 23, 23, 23 and 23 formed onthe rear surface of the cover member 15 are engaged with the escapeportions 24, 24, 24 and 24 formed at four corners of the bottom surface12 e of the casing 12 (see FIG. 15), so that the guide bosses 22 and 22are placed below the disengaging portions 98 c and 98 c lower than theseparation restricting portions 98 b and 98 b. In this way, thestaple-refill 11 can be separated from the refill accommodating port 63.

<12. Description of Positioning of Staple-Refill in Height Direction(FIGS. 100 to 103)>

As illustrated in FIGS. 39 and 40, the positioning of the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 in the direction perpendicular to the transferdirection thereof is performed by fitting the positioning convex portion89 of the staple guide plate 75 b at the side of the cartridge 61 intothe positioning concave portion 26 formed on the bottom surface 12 e ofthe casing 12 of the staple-refill 11. In an example in FIG. 100, thepositioning of the sheet-type connected staples 10 in a stackingdirection thereof (thickness direction of the sheet-type connectedstaples 10) is further performed. Specifically, as illustrated in FIGS.100 and 102, the staple guide cover 75 a configuring the staple guidesection 75 is provided with positioning fitting pieces 99 an d99 forpositioning the staple-refill 11 in the height direction thereof at bothleg portions at the side of the refill accommodating port 63. Thepositioning fitting pieces 99 and 99 are tapered to form a sharp portionat its leading end portions and thereby to form insertion guide portions99 a and 99 a. The staple-refill 11 to be positioned is provided withpositioning fitting holes 16 b and 16 b at both sides of the stapledischarge port 16 of the front surface 12 a of the casing 12.

As illustrated in FIGS. 102 and 103, if the staple-refill 11 isaccommodated in the refill accommodating port 63 of the cartridge 61, asillustrated in FIGS. 39 and 40, the positioning convex portion 89 of thestaple guide plate 75 b at side of the cartridge 61 is fitted into theposition concave portion 26 formed on the bottom surface 12 e of thecasing 12 to perform the positioning of the sheet-type connected staples10 in the direction perpendicular to the transfer direction thereof.Also, in the example, a top surface 99 b and a bottom surface 99 c ofthe positioning fitting pieces 99 and 99 of the staple guide cover 75 aconfiguring the staple guide section 75 are fitted into the positioningfitting holes 16 b and 16 b while being held by an upper edge 16 c and alower edge 16 d of the staple discharge port 16 formed in the frontsurface 12 a of the casing 12. In this way, the lowermost sheet-typeconnected staple 10 in the staple accommodating portion 13 is reliablytransferred to the passage formed between the staple guide cover 75 aand the staple guide plate 75 b of the staple guide section 75 from thestaple discharge port 16 of the staple-refill 11. Meanwhile, thepositioning fitting pieces 99 and 99 may not be formed on the stapleguide cover 75 a, but be formed on the staple guide plate 75 b.

<13. Other Modifications> <13-1. Description of First Modification>

In the above description, the case where the cartridge 61 can beattached to or detached from the magazine 101 at the side of thestapling-machine main-body and the case where the staple-refill 11 canbe attached to or detached from the cartridge 61 have been explained.But, the cartridge 61 may be provided at the stapling-machine main-body,and the staple-refill 11 may be attached to or detached from thecartridge 61 at the side of the stapling-machine main-body. Asillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, although the electric stapling machine forthe saddle stitch has been explained as examples, the staple-refill maybe applied to an electric stapling machine for an edge binding functionprovided in the paper processing device 3, or any electric staplingmachines for use in other usage.

<13-2. Description of Second Modification>

In the above description, although the substantially rectangularstaple-refill 11 using the sheet-type connected staples 10 has beenexplained, a staple-refill 201 accommodated with roll-type connectedstaples 200 may be used. The staple-refill 201 includes a casing 202, asillustrated in FIGS. 104 to 108. The casing 202 includes a stapleaccommodating portion 203 having a substantially circular section foraccommodating a roll body 200 a wound with a sheet-type connected stapleas a roll shape, and a guide portion 204 which is spatially continuouswith the staple accommodating portion 203 and guides the jointed staple200 drawn out from the roll body 200 a to the striking section 65 of thecartridge 61. The leading end portion of the guide portion 204 isprovided with a staple discharge port 205 of a slit shape whichfunctions as a staple discharge portion for discharging the connectedstaple 200, as illustrated in FIG. 104.

The staple discharge port 205 is formed to have a size of, for example,one sheet to five sheets of the sheet-type connected staples 10. Also, afall-out preventing piece 206 is provided immediately above the stapledischarge port 16, and protrudes rather than the staple discharge port205. The fall-out preventing piece 206 is pivotally displaced in a planeparallel to the plane, in which the staple discharge port 205 is formed,via a thin hinge to open and close the staple discharge port 206. Thefall-out preventing piece 206 functions as the first positioningprojection, for example, when the staple-refill 201 is mounted in themounting object such as the package.

The rear surface 202 a of the casing 202 at the side of the stapleaccommodating portion 203 is provided with a pair of second positioningprojections 207 and 207. The pair of second positioning projections 207and 207 protrudes in a triangular shape at positions at a regularinterval from a center line of the rear surface 202 a in a widthdirection thereof. When the staple-refill 201 is mounted in the mountingobject, such as the magazine of the stapling-machine main-body, thestaple-refill 201 is mounted in the state in which the staple-refill ispositioned by one position of the fall-out preventing piece 206functioning as the first positioning projection as described above, andtwo positions of the second positioning projections 207 and 207 on therear surface. The second positioning projections 207 and 207 may have anarc-shape, a stepped shape, or other shape illustrated in FIGS. 50(A) to50(C), and the number of the second positioning projections 207 and 207may be single or three or more second positioning projections, asillustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17.

Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 51(A) and 51(B), the second positioningprojections may be provided as the second positioning concave portion.

The rear surface 202 a of the casing 202 is provided with handleportions 208 and 208 formed by projections protruding in the directionof both lateral surfaces, and the handle portion 208 has the same heightas the rear surface 202 a. The handle portions 208 and 208 function asportions by which a finger is caught when the staple-refill 201 isdetached from the cartridge 61. When the staple-refill 201 is mounted inthe cartridge 61, the handle portions 208 and 208 are positioned at theopening end of the staple-refill insertion port 64 of the cartridge,more specifically, at the attaching/detaching operation recessed portion64 a which will be described later. When the staple-refill 201 is pulledout from the cartridge 61, the handle portions 208 and 208 exposedthrough the attaching/detaching operation recessed portion 64 a iscaught by the finger or the like so that the staple-refill 201 is easilypulled out from the cartridge 61. Also, when the staple-refill ismounted in the mounting object such as the package, the handle portions208 and 208 function as the third positioning projections together withthe fall-out preventing piece 206 functioning as the first positioningprojection and the second positioning projections 207 and 207 on therear surface.

As the configuration of the handle portion, as illustrated in FIGS. 18to 20, the rear surface of the casing may be provided with thethrough-hole 20 a, or may be provided with the notch portion 20 c, asillustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23. Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 26 to 28,the recessed portions 20 d and 20 d may be configured as the handleportions.

Also, the rear surface 202 a of the casing 202 is provided with pushedportions 209 and 209 which protrude from corner portions of the bottomsurface to have the same height. When the cartridge 61 incorporated withthe staple-refill 201 is mounted in the magazine 101 of thestapling-machine main-body, the pushed portions 209 and 209 are pressedagainst the mounting lever 104 which functions as the pressing portionof the magazine 101, so that the cartridge is positioned in the magazine101. The pushed portions 209 and 209 is not limited to any position ifits position is on the rear surface 12 d, but it is preferable that thepushed portions are formed at a position near a region in which thebottom surface with high strength intersects with the lateral surfacesand the rear surface to improve its positioning accuracy. When thecartridge 61 mounted with the staple-refill 201 is mounted in themagazine 101 of the stapling-machine main-body, the pushed portions 209and 209 are pressed against the push portions 102 and 102 of themagazine 101.

Meanwhile, the number of the pushed portions 209 and 209 is preferablyone, or three or more, but it is preferable that the pushed portions aredisposed to evenly apply a pushing force. Also, as illustrated in FIGS.43 and 44, the pushed portions 209 and 209 may be configured as the flatportions 29 a and 29 a, or, as illustrated in FIGS. 45 and 46, may beconfigured as the concave portions 29 b and 29 b.

The bottom surface 202 b of the casing 202 is provided with a notchrecessed portion 211 which is continuous with the staple discharge port205. The notch recessed portion 211 of the bottom surface is furtherprovided with a positioning concave portion 212, which is recessedtoward the rear surface 202 a, at the substantial center thereof. Thepositioning concave portion 212 is engaged with the positioning convexportion formed on the bottom surface of the cartridge in which thestaple-refill 201 described later is mounted. Referring to FIGS. 39 and40, if the staple-refill 201 is accommodated in the refill accommodatingport 63 of the cartridge 61, the positioning convex portion 89 of thestaple guide plate 75 b of the cartridge 61 is fitted into thepositioning concave portion 212 formed on the bottom surface 202 b ofthe casing 202 to perform the positioning of the connected staple 200 ina direction perpendicular to the transfer direction thereof.

The staple-refill 201 configured as described above is mounted in thecartridge 61 which is mounted in the magazine of the stapling-machinemain-body of the electric stapling machine 1, as illustrated in FIGS.105 and 106. The staple-refill is provided the notched space at theupper side of the front side, that is, the upper side of the guideportion 204, but the staple-refill is reliably mounted in the cartridge61 by the upper portion of the staple accommodating portion 203, thepositioning concave portion 212 and the positioning convex portion 89.The staple-refill 201 has an appearance different from that of theabove-described staple-refill 11, but, the staple-refill is mounted inthe refill accommodating portion 63 of the cartridge 61 since the pushlever 41 at the side of the cartridge 61 is disposed on the side of thestaple accommodating portion 203 and the space portion forming above theguide portion 204.

In accordance with to an embodiment, as shown in the figures, astaple-refill 11 may include: a casing 12 in which a plurality ofsheet-type connected staples 10 are stacked and accommodated; a stapleinserting port 14 which is formed in the casing 12 and through which thesheet-type connected staples 10 are inserted in the casing 12 in aninsertion direction; a staple discharge port 16 which is formed in thecasing 12 and from which the sheet-type connected staples 10 in thecasing 12 are discharged; a cover member 15 which covers the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 in the casing 12 from a side of the stapleinserting port 14; a guide boss 22 formed in the cover member 15; aguide portion 21 which is formed in the casing 12 and extending in theinsertion direction, the guide boss 22 being engaged with the guideportion 21 to guide the cover member 15 in the insertion direction; anda notch portion 18 formed in the casing 12 and extending from an edge ofthe staple inserting port 14 in the insertion direction.

According to this structure, since the casing is provided with the notchportion extending from the edge of the staple inserting port in theinsertion direction, the casing can easily outward bend the stapleinserting port adjacent to the surface formed with the notch portion.Accordingly, the staple inserting port is increased, so that it ispossible to easily perform attaching operation of the cover member orinserting operation of the sheet-type connected staples.

In the above structure, the guide boss may include a first boss 22 and asecond boss 22 respectively formed on opposed end faces 15 a, 15 a ofthe cover member 15 in a width direction perpendicular to the insertiondirection, and the guide portion may include a first guide part 21 and asecond guide part 21 respectively formed on side surfaces 12 b, 12 c ofthe casing 12 which are opposed to each other in the width direction.

In the above structure, the staple inserting port 14 may be formed onone 12 f of two surfaces 12 f, 12 e of the casing 12 which areperpendicular to the insertion direction.

The staple discharge port 16 may be formed on another surface 12 a ofthe casing 12 including the insertion direction and a width direction inwhich each of staples of the sheet-type connected staples extends. Thenotch portion 18 is formed between the staple discharge port 16 and thestaple inserting port 14 in the insertion direction.

In the above structure, the cover member 15 may include an additionalguide boss 27 on an end face 15 b of the cover member 15 between thesaid opposite end faces 15 a, 15 a, and the casing 12 may include anadditional guide portion 28 extending in the insertion direction,wherein the additional guide boss 27 engages with the additional guideportion 28.

In the above structure, the notch portion 18 may include an openingthorough which a push lever 66 for pressing the sheet-type connectedstaples 10 the casing 12 via the cover member 15 at a side of a staplingmachine 1 or a cartridge 61 passes when the casing 12 is attached to ordetached from the staple-refill 11 to/from a main-body of thestapling-machine 1 or the cartridge 61 to be attached to or detachedfrom the main-body of the stapling machine 1.

In the above structure, the notch portion 18 may be structured such thata push lever 66 passes through an opening portion of the notch portion18, in an attaching/detaching operation of the staple-refill 11 to/froma main-body of a stapling-machine 1 or a cartridge 61 to be attached toor detached from the main-body of the stapling machine 1. The push lever66 may include at a side of the stapling-machine main-body or thecartridge 61, and adapted to press the sheet-type connected staples 10in the casing 12 via the cover member 15.

In the above structure, the notch portion 18 may be formed on at leastone of said side surfaces 12 b, 12 c the casing 12 on which the firstguide part 21 or the second guide part 21 is formed.

In the above structure, the guide portion may comprise a guide hole 21.The guide boss 22 may penetrate through the guide portion 21 to protrudeoutward. The guide boss 22 may engage with a positioning concave portion113 of a mounting object 111 that accommodates the casing 12. Thepositioning concave portion 113 may be positioned at a positioncorresponding to the guide boss 22.

In the above structure, the cover member 15 may include a check claw 22a on a peripheral portion thereof. The casing 12 may include a checkgroove 22 b which is engaged with the check claw 22 a to prevent thecover member 15 from moving to the staple inserting port 14.

In the above structure, the notch portion 18 may include a bottom end18B (as shown, for example, in FIG. 13) at an end of the notch portion18 in the insertion direction at a side of the staple discharge port 16.The casing 12 may include one farthest end in one side in the insertiondirection and the other farthest end in the other side in the insertiondirection. The bottom end 18B of the notch portion 18 may position inthe insertion direction between the staple discharge port 16 and acenter of said one farthest end and the other farthest end of the casing12 in the insertion direction.

In the above structure, the notch portion 18 may be formed on the sidesurface 12 a of the casing 12 on which the staple discharge port 16 isformed.

In the above structure, the notch portion 18 may include a bottom end18B at an end of the notch portion 18 in the insertion direction at aside of the staple discharge port 16. The casing 12 may include a wall12BT defining the other 12 e of said two surfaces 12 f, 12 eperpendicular to the insertion direction. A dimension L1 of the covermember 15 in the insertion direction may be larger than a length L2between a face of the wall 12BT in a side of the staple inserting port14 and the bottom end 18B of the notch portion 18 in the insertiondirection. A dimension L1 of the cover member 15 in the insertiondirection may be substantially the same with a length L2 between a faceof the wall 12BT in a side of the staple inserting port 14 and thebottom end 18B of the notch portion 18 in the insertion direction.

In accordance with to an embodiment, as shown in the figures, astaple-refill 11, 201 may include: a casing 12, 202 in which a connectedstaple 10, 200 is accommodated; a staple discharge port 16, 205 which isformed in the casing 12, 202 to discharge the connected staple 10, 200from the casing 12, 202; a first positioning projection 17 d, 206 whichis formed on a surface 12 a of the casing 12, 202 on which the stapledischarge portion 16, 205 is formed; and a second positioning projection19, 207 which is formed on a surface 12 d, 202 a of the casing 12, 202which is opposite to the surface 12 a on which the staple dischargeportion 16, 205 is formed.

In the above structure, at least one of the first positioning projection17 d, 206 and the second position projection 19, 207 may include aplurality of projection sections.

The staple-refill 11, 201 may further include a third positioningprojection 20, 208 protruding outward from said opposite surface 12 d,202 a on which the second positioning projection 19, 207 is formed.

In the above structure, the casing 12 may include: a staple insertingport 14 through which the connected staple 10 is inserted in the casing12 in an insertion direction; a cover member 15 which covers theconnected staple 10 in the casing 12 from a side of the staple insertingport 14; a guide boss 22 formed in the cover member 15; and a guide hole21 which is formed in the casing 12 and extending in the insertiondirection, the guide boss 22 being engaged with the guide hole 21 toguide the cover member 15 in the insertion direction. The guide boss 22may pass through the guide hole 21 to protrude outward, thereby forminga fourth positioning projection.

In the above structure, the first positioning projection 17 d, 206 maybe displaceable from a position which is overlapped with the stapledischarge port 16, 205 to a position which is escaped from the stapledischarge port 16, 205.

According to an embodiment, the staple-refill is supported by the firstand second positioning projections which are provided on the oppositesurfaces of the casing. Accordingly, the staple-refill can beaccommodated in the mounting object in a stable posture by engaging thefirst and second positioning projections with the positioning concaveportions of the mounting object.

In accordance with to an embodiment, as shown in the figures, astaple-refill 11 may include: a casing 12 in which a plurality ofsheet-type connected staples 10 are stacked and accommodated; and anotch portion 18 which is formed on one side surface 12 a of the casing12. The casing 12 may be attached to or detached from a main-body of astapling-machine 1 or a cartridge 61 which is to attached to or detachedfrom the stapling-machine main-body, in a transfer direction in whichthe sheet-type connected staples 10 in the casing is transferred to astriking section in the stapling machine 1. The notch portion 18 mayhave a shape to enable a push lever 66 to pass, at least in a detachingoperation of the casing 12 from the stapling-machine main-body or thecartridge, wherein the push lever 66 pushes and biases the sheet-typeconnected staples 10 in the casing 12 in a stacking direction in whichthe sheet-type connected staples 10 are stacked in the casing 12.

According to this structure, the releasing operation of the push leveris not necessary, thereby improving its operability. Also, the pushlever can continuously push the sheet-type connected staples, therebypreventing the staple-refill from being fallen out from thestapling-machine main-body or the cartridge, in addition to reliablysending the sheet-type connected staples using the transfer mechanism.

In the above structure, the notch portion 18 may be formed to enable thepush lever 66 to pass in a state in which the push lever 66 is pushingand biasing the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the stackingdirection.

In the above structure, the side surface of the casing 12 on which thenotch portion 18 may be formed is an insertion surface 12 a from whichthe staple-refill 11 is inserted to the stapling-machine main-body orthe cartridge. The notch portion 18 may be formed by opening theinsertion surface 12 a at a side of a staple inserting port 14 throughwhich the sheet-type connected staples 10 are inserted in the casing 12.

In the above structure, the staple-refill may further include a covermember 15 which covers the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the casing12 and is movable in the stacking direction. The cover member 15 maypush and bias the sheet-type connected staples 10 by being pushed andbiased by the push lever 66.

In the above structure, the casing 12 may include a handle portion 20 ona surface 12 d opposite to the insertion surface 12 a.

In the above structure, the notch portion 18 may include a taperedportion 18 c of which a side for receiving the push lever 66 is wide.

In accordance with to an embodiment, as shown in the figures, astaple-refill 11, 201 may include: a casing 12, 202 in which a connectedstaple 10, 200 is accommodated and which is to be mounted in a main-bodyof a stapling-machine 1 or a cartridge 61 to be mounted in the main-bodyof the stapling-machine 1, the stapling-machine main-body or thecartridge including a staple guide portion 75 that guides width ends andat least one of upper and lower flat portions of the connected staple 10during transferring the connected staple 10, 200; a staple dischargeportion 16, 205 which is formed in the casing 12, 202 to discharge theconnected staple 10, 200 from the casing 12, 202; and a pushed portion29, 19, 209 which is provided on the casing 12, 202 and to be pushed bya push portion 102, 104 that pushes the casing 12, 202 towards thestaple guide portion 75 when the staple-refill 11, 201 or the cartridge61 is mounted in the stapling-machine main-body.

According to this structure, when the staple-refill is positioned in thestapling-machine main-body or the cartridge, the staple-refill is pushedby the push portion of the cartridge or the stapling-machine main-body.Also, since the staple-refill is pushed by a mounting reference portion,the staple-refill can be accurately positioned in the stapling-machinemain-body or the cartridge.

In the above structure, the casing 12, 202 may be pushed by the pushportion 102, 104 to be in close-contact with the staple guide portion75, when the staple-refill 11, 201 or the cartridge 61 is mounted in thestapling-machine main-body.

In the above structure, the casing 12, 202 may include a locked portion19, 209 which is to be engaged with a locking member 104 that maintain astate in which the casing 12, 202 is pushed by the push portion 102.

In the above structure, the pushed portion 29, 209 may include aninclined portion. When the staple-refill 11, 201 or the cartridge 61 ismounted in the stapling-machine main-body, the inclined portion of thepushed portion 29, 209 may be pressed by the push portion 102, so thatthe casing 12, 202 is in close-contact to the staple guide portion 75,and the staple-refill is locked to the stapling-machine main-body or thecartridge.

In the above structure, the inclined surface of the pushed portion 29,209 may face a direction of a bottom surface 12 e of the casing 12, 202and the staple guide portion 75.

In the above structure, the pushed portion may include an arc-shapesurface 19 c of a convex or concave shape facing a direction of a bottomsurface 12 e of the casing 12 and the staple guide portion 75.

In the above structure, the pushed portion may include a stepped shape19 formed by a surface parallel to a surface 12 a of the casing 12 at aside of the staple guide portion 75 and a surface parallel to a bottomsurface 12 e of the casing 12.

In the above structure, the staple-refill 11, 201 may be mounted in thestapling-machine main-body or the cartridge which is provided with thestaple guide portion 75 at a front side thereof and includes a faceplate 76 with which the staple guide portion 75 comes into contact andwhich forms a gap through which the staple to be struck passes.

According to an embodiment, when the staple-refill is positioned in thestapling-machine main-body or the cartridge, the staple-refill is pushedby the push portion of the cartridge or the stapling-machine main-body.Also, since the staple-refill is pushed by a mounting reference portion,the staple-refill can be accurately positioned in the stapling-machinemain-body or the cartridge. As a result, it is possible to shorten astroke of a transfer plate or a guide member of a transfer mechanism ofa connected staple of the stapling-machine main-body or the cartridge,thereby miniaturizing the stapling-machine main-body or the cartridge.

Also, according to an embodiment, since the gap through which the staplepasses is formed by bringing the staple guide portion into contact withthe face plate to allow the casing be close to the staple guide portion,it is possible to reliably maintain a size of the gap.

In accordance with an embodiment, as shown in the figures, a staplingmachine 1 may include: a stapling machine main body; a staple-refill 11which includes a casing 12 in which a plurality of sheet-type connectedstaples 10 are stacked and accommodated, and which is to be mounteddirectly in the stapling machine main body or mounted in the staplingmachine main body through a cartridge 61; and a push lever 66 whichpushes and biases the sheet-type connected staples 10 in the casing 12in a stacking direction in which the sheet-type connected staples 10 arestacked in the casing 12. A notch portion 18 may be formed on one sidesurface 12 a of the casing 12. The notch portion 18 may have a shape toenable the push lever 66 to pass in a detaching operation of thestaple-refill 11 from the stapling-machine main-body or the cartridge.

In accordance with an embodiment, as shown in the figures, a staplingmachine 1 may include: a stapling-machine main-body; and a staple-refill11, 201 which is to be mounted directly in the stapling machine mainbody or mounted in the stapling machine main body through a cartridge61. The staple-refill 11, 201 may include a casing 12, 202 in which aconnected staple 10, 200 is accommodated. The stapling-machine main-bodyor the cartridge may include a staple guide portion 75 that guides widthends and at least one of upper and lower flat portions of the connectedstaple 10 during transferring the connected staple 10, 200. Thestaple-machine main-body may include a push portion 102, 104 that pushesthe casing 12, 202 towards the staple guide portion 75 when thestaple-refill 11, 201 or the cartridge 61 is mounted in thestapling-machine main-body. The casing 12, 202 may include a pushedportion 29, 19, 209 which is pushed by the push portion 102, 104.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 . . . electric staple/saddle stitch unit; 1 b . . . staple unit; 2 . .. image forming apparatus; 3 . . . paper processing device; 5 . . .guide roller; 6 . . . knife edge; 7 . . . folding roller; 8 . . .discharge tray; 9 . . . tap; 9 a . . . frame; 10 . . . sheet-typeconnected staple; 11 . . . staple-refill; 12 . . . casing; 12 a . . .front surface; 12 b, 12 c . . . lateral surface; 12 d . . . rearsurface; 12 e . . . bottom surface; 12 f . . . top surface; 12 g . . .front wall; 13 . . . staple accommodating portion; 14 . . . stapleinserting opening; 15 . . . cover member; 15 a . . . lateral end face;15 b . . . rear-side end face; 16 . . . staple discharging port; 16 a .. . end face; 16 b . . . positioning fitting hole; 16 c . . . upperedge; 16 d . . . lower edge; 16 e . . . corner portion; 17 . . .fall-out preventing piece; 17 a . . . concave portion; 17 b . . . hinge;17 c . . . boss portion; 17 d . . . projection; 18 . . . notch portion;18 a . . . slit; 18 b . . . circular portion; 18 c . . . taperedportion; 18 e . . . hinge portion; 18 f . . . punch piece; 19, 19 a, 19b . . . second positioning projection; 19 c . . . upper end face; 19 d .. . positioning concave portion; 20 . . . handle portion; 20 a . . .through-hole; 20 b . . . recessed portion; 20 c . . . notch portion; 20d . . . recessed portion; 21 . . . guide hole; 21 a . . . vertical guideportion; 21 b . . . horizontal guide portion; 21 c . . . joint portion;22 . . . guide boss; 22 a . . . check claw; 22 b . . . check groove; 23. . . boss portion; 24 . . . escape portion; 25 . . . notch recessedportion; 26 . . . positioning concave portion; 27 . . . guide boss; 27 a. . . recessed portion; 27 b . . . guide groove; 28 . . . guide hole; 29. . . pushed portion; 29 a . . . planar portion; 29 b . . . concaveportion; 31 . . . engaging portion; 31 a . . . concave portion; 31 b . .. stepped portion; 31 c . . . concave portion; 31 d . . . boss portion;32 . . . guide wall; 33 . . . lever guide hole; 34 a . . . verticalportion; 34 b . . . horizontal portion; 35 . . . guide rail; 36 . . .guide groove; 37 . . . thin portion; 61 . . . cartridge; 61 a . . .pivot boss; 62 . . . cartridge body; 62 a . . . top surface; 62 b, 62 clateral surfaces; 62 d . . . rear surface; 62 e . . . front surface; 64. . . refill inserting port; 64 a . . . attaching/detaching operationrecessed portion; 64 b . . . notch recessed portions; 65 . . . strikingsection; 66 . . . push lever; 66 a . . . guide piece; 67 . . . leverinstalling portion; 68 . . . pivot shaft; 69 . . . pivot hole; 70 . . .push portion; 70 a . . . tapered portion; 71 . . . coil spring; 71 a . .. locking convex portion; 71 b . . . locking concave portion; 72 . . .locking mechanism; 73 . . . engaging portion; 73 a . . . pick-upportion; 73 b . . . separation restricting portion; 73 c . . .disengaging portion; 74 . . . base plate member; 74 a . . . positioninghole; 74 b, 74 c . . . positioning boss; 74 d, 74 d . . . engagingpiece; 74 e . . . engaging recessed portion; 75 . . . staple guidesection; 75 a . . . staple guide cover; 75 b . . . staple guide plate;76 . . . anvil; 77 . . . pusher; 77 a . . . leg portion; 77 b . . .guide recessed portion; 78 . . . biasing member; 79 . . . faceplate; 79a . . . face portion; 79 b . . . arm portion; 79 c . . . supportrecessed portion; 79 d . . . pivot support boss; 80 a . . . formingplate; 80 b . . . driver plate; 81 . . . transfer mechanism; 82 . . .guide recessed portion; 82 a . . . guide wall; 83 . . . guide member; 83a . . . opening; 83 b, 84 b . . . concave portion; 84 . . . transferplate; 84 a . . . inclined portion; 85 . . . transfer claw; 85 a . . .support shaft; 86 . . . torsion coil spring; 87 . . . coil spring; 88 .. . positioning mechanism; 89 . . . positioning convex portion; 91 . . .first abutting portion; 92 . . . second abutting portion; 94 . . . slit;95 . . . locking mechanism; 96 . . . resilient engaging piece; 96 a . .. pick-up portion; 96 b . . . separation restricting portion; 96 c . . .disengaging portion; 97 . . . locking mechanism; 97 a . . . resilientengaging piece; 98 . . . engaging portion; 98 a . . . pick-up portion;98 b . . . separation restricting portion; 98 c . . . disengagingportion; 99 . . . positioning fitting piece; 99 a . . . insertion guideportion; 101 . . . magazine; 102 . . . pushing portion; 102 a . . .convex portion; 103 . . . mounting reference portion; 104 . . . mountinglever; 104 a . . . engaging piece; 105 . . . pivot support portion; 106. . . pushing member; 106 a . . . pushing portion; 111 . . . mountingobject; 112 . . . receiving portion; 113 . . . lateral positioningconcave portion; 114 . . . rear-surface positioning concave portion; 115. . . bottom surface support portion; 121 . . . mounting object; 122 . .. receiving portion; 122 a . . . front surface; 122 b . . . rearsurface; 122 c, 122 d . . . lateral surface; 123 . . . first positioningconcave portion; 124 . . . positioning member; 124 a . . . operationportion; 124 b . . . operation hole; 125 . . . coil spring; 126 . . .positioning concave portion; 127 . . . positioning concave portion; 131. . . mounting object; 132 . . . receiving portion; 132 a . . . frontsurface; 132 b . . . rear surface; 132 c, 132 d . . . lateral surface;133 . . . first positioning concave portion; 134 . . . secondpositioning concave portion; 135 . . . third positioning concaveportion; 136 . . . fourth positioning concave portion; 137 . . .bottom-surface support portion; 200 . . . connected staple; 201 . . .staple-refill; 202 . . . casing; 202 a . . . rear surface; 202 b . . .bottom surface; 203 . . . staple accommodating portion; 204 . . . guideportion; 205 . . . staple discharge port; 206 . . . fall-out preventingpiece; 207 . . . second positioning projection; 208 . . . handleportion; 209 . . . pushed portion; 211 . . . notch recessed portion; 212. . . positioning concave portion

1: A staple-refill comprising: a casing including a front wall, a rearwall, side walls and a bottom wall that define a space in which aplurality of sheet-type connected staples are stacked and accommodated;a staple discharge portion which is formed in the front wall and fromwhich the sheet-type connected staples in the casing are discharged; acover member which covers the sheet-type connected staples in thecasing; a guide boss formed in the cover member; a guide portion whichis formed in the side walls and extending in a stacking direction inwhich the sheet-type connected staples are stacked in the casing, theguide boss being engaged with the guide portion to guide the covermember in the stacking direction; and a notch portion provided in thefront wall, the notch portion having an edge extending from an upperedge of the front wall in the stacking direction, wherein the covermember is disposed in the casing such that the notch portion does notoverlap with the cover member as seen in the stacking direction, whereinthe notch portion is provided at an upper side of the staple dischargeportion in the stacking direction and includes a bottom end which is anend of the notch portion at a side of the staple discharge portion inthe stacking direction, and wherein a dimension of the cover member inthe stacking direction is larger than a length between a surface of thebottom wall at a side of the cover member and a bottom end of the notchportion in the stacking direction. 2: The staple-refill according toclaim 1, wherein the guide boss includes a first boss and a second bossrespectively formed on opposed end faces of the cover member in a widthdirection perpendicular to the stacking direction, and wherein the guideportion includes a first guide part and a second guide part respectivelyformed in the side walls of the casing which are opposed to each otherin the width direction.
 3. (canceled) 4: The staple-refill according toclaim 2, wherein the cover member is provided with an additional guideboss on an end face of the cover member between the opposed end faces,and wherein the casing is provided with an additional guide portionextending in the stacking direction, wherein the additional guide bossengages with the additional guide portion. 5: The staple-refillaccording to claim 1, wherein the notch portion includes an openingthrough which a push lever for pressing the sheet-type connected staplesin the casing via the cover member at a side of a stapling machine or acartridge passes when the casing is attached to or detached from thestaple-refill to/from a main-body of the stapling-machine or thecartridge to be attached to or detached from the main-body of thestapling machine. 6: The staple-refill according to claim 1, wherein thenotch portion is structured such that a push lever passes through anopening of the notch portion, in an attaching/detaching operation of thestaple-refill to/from a main-body of a stapling-machine or a cartridgeto be attached to or detached from the main-body of the staplingmachine, and wherein the push lever is provided at a side of thestapling-machine main-body or the cartridge, and adapted to press thesheet-type connected staples in the casing via the cover member. 7.(canceled) 8: The staple-refill according to claim 1, wherein the guideportion comprises a guide hole, and wherein the guide boss penetratesthrough the guide portion to protrude outward, and the guide bossengages with a positioning concave portion of a mounting object thataccommodates the casing, the positioning concave portion beingpositioned at a position corresponding to the guide boss. 9: Thestaple-refill according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is providedwith a check claw on a peripheral portion thereof, and wherein thecasing is provided with a check groove which is engaged with the checkclaw to prevent the cover member from moving toward the upper edge ofthe front wall. 10-13. (canceled) 14: A staple-refill comprising: acasing including a front wall, a rear wall, side walls and a bottom wallthat define a space in which a plurality of sheet-type connected staplesare stacked and accommodated; a staple discharge portion which isprovided in the front wall and from which the sheet-type connectedstaples in the casing are discharged in a discharge direction; a covermember which covers the sheet-type connected staples in the casing; aguide boss formed in the cover member; a guide portion which is providedin the side walls and extending in a stacking direction in which thesheet-type connected staples are stacked in the casing, the guide bossbeing engaged with the guide portion to guide the cover member in thestacking direction; and a notch portion provided in the front wall, thenotch portion having an edge extending from an upper edge of the frontwall in the stacking direction, wherein the notch portion is providedbetween the staple discharge portion and the upper edge of the frontwall in the stacking direction, wherein the cover member is disposed inthe casing such that the notch portion does not overlap with the covermember as seen in the stacking direction. 15: The staple-refillaccording to claim 14, wherein the notch portion has the edge continuouswith the upper edge of the front wall such that the side walls are moreeasily deformed in a width direction in which the side walls face eachother. 16: A staple-refill comprising: a casing including a front wall,a rear wall, side walls and a bottom wall that define a space in which aplurality of sheet-type connected staples are stacked and accommodated;a staple discharge portion which is provided in the front wall and fromwhich the sheet-type connected staples in the casing are discharged; acover member which covers the sheet-type connected staples in thecasing; a boss formed in the cover member; a hole portion which isprovided in the side walls, the boss being arranged in the hole portionto allow the cover member to move in a stacking direction in which thesheet-type connected staples are stacked in the casing; and a notchportion provided in the front wall, the notch portion having an edgeextending from an upper edge of the front wall in the stackingdirection, wherein the notch portion is provided at an upper side of thestaple discharge portion in the stacking direction, wherein the covermember is disposed in the casing such that the notch portion does notoverlap with the cover member as seen in the stacking direction.